The Codex: A Sister's Burden
by Arvaus
Summary: An eternity is a far too long to keep a secret. When Princess Celestia is warned of a threat to Equestria, one with the potential to tear the world apart, and ultimately steal her own sister from her, she vows to devote her life to finding a way to avert this disaster and save all those she loves from their fate. Can also be found on FIMFiction (/story/84846)
1. Foreword

**Foreword**

* * *

From the Royal Court of Princess Luna, for the attention of Princess Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville College of Magic.

_My dear friend,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. I have decided that I must write to you because there is a matter of great importance of which you must be made aware. I must warn you that you may find some of these facts surprising, even troubling, but I ask you to give their details your full consideration before responding. I myself was furious when my sister first revealed them to me, but when the full story was explained to me, I was eventually able to forgive her for her actions._

_First, and most importantly, I must confess to my own part in this story; I have lied to you, as did my sister to both of us before. This has cast a constant shadow over my thoughts in the past decades, and I must humbly ask for your forgiveness. I cannot second-guess my decision, as I am convinced it was justified, but misleading my fellow ponies is so contrary to my nature that it hurt me deeply to do so._

_For many ages, my sister and I have been forced to hide certain facts, both from each other and from our kingdom. We did so only because we wished the pony race to have the chance to grow and develop as naturally as possible, unaffected by the knowledge of what we had seen and experienced. We wished to guide our subjects to better themselves and help them overcome the many trials which they have faced over history, but we feared that knowing the purpose of our guidance would spoil any positive effect we may have._

_However, I believe that the time has finally come when this information can, nay _must _be published. It is time for everypony to finally understand the forces which have been at work guiding their race over the millennia. However, this story has a particular significance to your own life, Twilight, and so I wish for you to know first._

_Therefore, I am passing on to you this document, known simply as The Codex. Compiled over many ages by my sister, The Codex is an account of the many events which have shaped her life and guided her in her decisions. It is a priceless historical document, revealing much about the world we live in and the magic which gives it form._

_I first learned of the Codex a year after I returned from my forced exile, when you defeated Discord using the Elements of Harmony. I was only informed of Discord's return after the event, and was shocked to discover that my sister had deliberately hidden his presence from me. She told me she had done this to protect me from him, but the fact that she did not even consult me was the first time I realised that she was hiding something from me._

_I confronted her, and she told me everything. To help me understand, she gave me the Codex, and allowed me time to read it and consider its meaning. It was deceptive in its brevity, almost unprecedented in its scope, and is a uniquely personal account of a long and turbulent history. The things I learned about my sister, what she had put herself through for my sake, were astounding. I do not know if I would have done the same had I been in her place, but I cannot doubt her motivations anymore._

_This knowledge was freeing, lifting a wall between us that I had not even realised was there, my sister's efforts to hide it being so thorough. We were able to fully communicate in one mind, Celestia sharing with me all which she had hidden over the years._

_But it was then that a new chapter in the story began. Celestia had assumed that it had finished, everything which must happen having been completed. Only because of this had she felt comfortable sharing with me. However, my different perspective on these events revealed that there was much more yet to be done._

_I do not want to elaborate here. I believe that you must learn of this in the same manner that I did. Read the Codex, absorb what it has to teach you, and then there will be much for us to discuss, hopefully in person this time. There will, however, be much more for you to learn than there was for me. While much was hidden from me, it was primarily intentions and motivations. I was present for many of the acts themselves, but simply did not understand them as my sister did. I will give you as much time as you need to process the information, and will help you accept it in any way I can._

_Only in the final chapters of the story did you become involved. It seems that the spirits of the universe have singled out for you a special role, as it did for me and my sister before. We have helped guide you in this destiny as best as we can, and you have perhaps done more to help the universe than you realise._

_Lastly, a few thoughts concerning the Codex itself. It is my firm belief that it must at some point be published. It was created for the purpose of education, that those whose life its story touched could fully understand why these events have happened. However, its story is so far-reaching that this cannot be achieved until it has been seen by everypony in Equestria. You are far more the scholar than I ever was, so I will leave it to you to decide when and how this happens. I encourage you even to add to the Codex first, as I have done. Added perspectives can only bring further clarity._

_Best wishes,_

_Princess Luna_


	2. Chapter 1 - The Battle of Everfree

**Chapter 1 - The Battle of Everfree**

* * *

_The nation of Equestria has a long and prosperous history, which I have had the honour of playing my part in. But this history has been punctuated by many catastrophic events which have threatened the safety of the pony race, and even come close to destroying the very universe itself._

_Through the spirits which shape the world, I have been given a warning of a great threat to come. Something which threatens to tear apart everything — and everypony — I love is coming, and I have devoted my life to determining its nature and protecting all I can from it, but know I will lose much._

_In order to have any hope of succeeding, I must work in secret, hiding my purposes from everypony, even my dear sister. But I must remain accountable for all my actions, so I am compiling this codex to provide a record of my deeds. But deception is so contrary to my very nature that I fear this may not be enough to ease my troubled conscience._

_But this story reaches far beyond myself. These events concern the very spirits which shape the world and give it form. If one is to understand this tale, one must first understand their nature._

_Every object, every concept, all which does and can exist in the world, has a spirit. This spirit gives it presence and form, while the object in turn gives the spirit purpose._

_These spirits are all connected, through powerful magical bonds. These bonds define how the world functions and hold the very fabric of reality. Together, all the spirits in the world form a single unified spirit, the essence of the universe itself, which to many is simply known as Harmony. When there is cooperation in the world, the bonds between spirits grow stronger, and so Harmony is strengthened. But if there is disharmony and conflict, Harmony weakens, and the world can start to crumble and fragment._

_It is for this reason that the pony race exists. In addition to their own spirit, and that which defines their tribe and their associated intrinsic magic, each pony has a connection to another spirit, which manifests through their special talent. In this way, cooperation between otherwise unconnected spirits is encouraged through friendship between ponies, providing much needed strength and stability._

_It is unknown when the pony race first came into existence, and if the world had even existed prior to this, but they are so integral to the stability of the world that it is widely believed that they arose very near the beginning. The means by which the world was even created is, of course, completely unknown._

_The other source of evidence for this belief is in their strong connection to the fundamental nature of the two guardian spirits which watch over the world: the sun and moon. These spirits keep guard over the world, and provide much-needed patterns and rhythms, to keep everything within the world running as it should. When the pony race emerged, these spirits chose to descend to the earth and live among the ponies, acting as guardians and advisers. The forms they took are what became my sister and I, and we continue to perform our natural duty to this day._

_Unfortunately, much of my understanding of these spiritual connections came through the first great test of Harmony, one of the most painful and traumatic moments in my long existence. As this knowledge, as well as the other revelations of these events, have proven integral in my efforts, this first chapter concerns that event. I have chosen to recount these stories in an objective narrative form, in order to properly represent the actions and intentions of all involved. These accounts are compiled from the memories of all witnesses I have been able to speak to._

_Princess Celestia_

_P.S. I must also note for modern readers; the world described in these first chapters is markedly different from the one you know now. In the first ages, there was no nation of Equestria. My sister and I lived among the ponies more as equals, not having taken the title of princess yet._

_The world also functioned almost on its own without pony intervention. The sun and moon rose and set by their own patterns, the weather and seasons all came and went by themselves. The ponies still had some control over the environment, but they never had to do more than keep the weather in check. Each of these facts would change in time, for various reasons._

* * *

For many generations, the three pony tribes lived together in peace. The pony race flourished and spread out across the land, villages and towns forming where the land was fertile and crops could be grown. The race grew rapidly in number, but through cooperation they were always able to provide for themselves. The earth ponies naturally found a place working the land, where they would grow crops and produce food to feed everypony. The pegasi, meanwhile, kept watch over the changing weather, ensuring there was always plentiful rain for the crops, and keeping everypony's homes from being destroyed.

During this time, the alicorn sisters, Luna and Celestia, travelled the land aiding and protecting everypony in any way they could. They taught the three tribes how to harness their natural talents, showing the earth ponies how they had the ability to bring forth life from the land, and teaching the pegasi how to control the weather. They helped the unicorns explore the extent of their magical abilities, helping them discover new and powerful spells. They helped settlers find the most fertile lands on which to build new farmsteads, and helped defend against the wild beasts which roamed the land.

While the three tribes managed to work together, there was nonetheless a lingering resentment, as the unicorns struggled to determine their tribe's destiny and learn their place in the world. They each found work where their talents allowed, some becoming artisans, others healers, but none felt that they truly belonged. They resented how the other tribes seemed to find a natural fit in the world, and longed to find their true purpose and take their place alongside the others.

As the tension grew, the three tribes started to drift apart, each forming their own cultures and appointing their own leaders. The pegasi, reflecting their natural protective and defensive instinct, formed hierarchical military government, with the senior pegasus becoming commander of those below. The earth ponies, used to adapting to the ever-changing conditions of the land, chose to adopt an elected government, appointing a chancellor from their numbers with the skills necessary to deal with whatever new challenges faced their tribe. The unicorns, on the other hoof, valued power above all, and the various unicorn families challenged each other for leadership until a single family rose up and declared their royal right over the tribe.

The two alicorns tried to hold together the shaky peace, and for many years they were successful. All three leaders respected their wisdom and benevolence, and willingly listened to their counsel whenever it was offered. Many generations passed and the pony race continued to thrive, but despite every effort, the sisters could not bring them together in the full unity their world needed.

* * *

The first great test of Harmony came at the accession of King Blackheart to the throne of the unicorn tribe. He was a strong leader, capable of protecting his subjects, but inside he held a deep distrust of the other tribes, refusing anything but the minimum of cooperation with his fellow ponies.

In the months after his coronation, Celestia and Luna tried to gain an audience with him, to convince him that he needed to work with the other tribes, but every request was refused, as the king saw them only as pale imitations of the unicorn tribe, and not true allies. Whenever they tried to approach him, the gates of his castle remained locked to them. Luna even attempted to reach out to him in his dreams, but she found his mind closed and hostile. They could see that he was going to lead his race to destruction, but the only solution they could see was forcibly overthrowing Blackheart, which they believed would only have caused greater destruction and chaos, so they did not intervene.

It thus came as a shock to all when one day Blackheart called a meeting of representatives from the entire pony race, declaring that he had a historic announcement to make. Delegates gathered from across the land, representing all three tribes. There was much apprehension from the pegasi and earth ponies, unsure why the king, who had until then only been hostile towards them, would wish to address all three tribes, apparently as equals.

The delegates gathered in the Meadowlands, a vast expanse of open grassland at the centre of the ponies' domain. In the centre, King Blackheart waited patiently for everypony to gather. He was joined by Chancellor Oatcake of the earth ponies. She approached Blackheart timidly and quietly asked him to explain himself, but he simply told her to wait for the announcement. She backed away and began pacing nervously. She had been elected only five weeks before in what was otherwise a time of stability for the earth pony tribe, and was not used to dealing with hostile politicians like this.

Commander Brakespear of the pegasi arrived last. He landed next to Oatcake and shared some hushed words with her, before taking off again and hovering above the ground, as if waiting for an attack. His posture was not unjustified, given that a legion of armoured unicorn mages had gathered around the edge of the crowd in a clear show of power and an attempt to intimidate the other races. There was no doubt that Blackheart was not going to let this meeting end well for the other two tribes.

From a distance, Luna and Celestia observed silently, waiting for Blackheart to reveal his intentions before stepping in.

Eventually, Blackheart stood up and looked out over everypony that had gathered. His horn glowed red as he cast a spell, amplifying his voice so it carried out across the crowd. Then, with a friendly smile, he spoke.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, representatives of the three tribes. For many years the pony race has lived a fragmented existence, the tribes working together and yet apart. Baseless distrust and feuding have threatened to tear us apart completely on numerous occasions. Well I say that this must end! The time has come for the three tribes to unite at last and work together under a single banner!"

A murmur swept through the crowd. A few cheers and some stamping of hooves was heard, but most delegates shifted in confusion at what could have prompted this sudden change of heart from the king, who had done more than any other to separate the three tribes. The alicorns shared their concerns. They could see the hypocrisy in his words, and yet he truly did seem to believe that he was right.

"I admit that much of the division arose from within my own tribe," the king said, as if hearing their thoughts. "We have always struggled to see what our place in the grand scheme of the world was, and this has led to nothing but confusion and instability. But I believe that at last we have found our place! I have meditated over this matter at great length since taking the throne, and believe that the unicorns' true purpose is as leaders!"

The murmurs of the crowd died instantly. Even some of the unicorns present were shocked at this declaration.

"For too long have we waited to find our place, forced to barter our power for scraps of food" The king continued, walking around to look on all the gathered ponies. "Our true ability has been wasted by indecision and uncertainty, when all this time we should have been using our powers to direct and guide our race. As a result, all three tribes have tragically failed to live up to their full potential. Today, we will claim our destiny, and I extend this offer to the other tribes. Live under our rule and we will guide you to greatness! We will help you finally achieve full mastery of our world!"

The murmurs had now turned to shouts. Thousands of hooves thundered angrily on the ground. Some delegates even started attacking the unicorns in their midst, and the mages surrounding them bent into attack postures, waiting for any command from their master. Eventually the chaos died down, as they saw that Commander Brakespear had landed on the ground in front of Blackheart, and was staring him down with a look filled with rage.

"You dare to accuse _us_ of not using our powers to the full! Your tribe's the only one that's not been pulling its weight, while we've worked our tails off to keep you alive!" He pointed an accusatory hoof at Blackheart's chest. Cries of agreement rose from the crowd, and a few pegasi rose into the air, shouting profanities at Blackheart. "You say it's your destiny to be a leader, but you never leave your castle, and I haven't see you helping another pony once! Call yourself what you will, but you are a tyrant, and my ponies will never live under your rule! If you make _any_ attempt to seize power, we're leaving!"

Breakspear looked at Chancellor Oatcake for support, but the young pony looked like she had seen a cockatrice. Blackheart stepped between her and Breakspear, meeting the commander's eyes again.

"Leave if you wish, but it is only you who will lose out. The so-called magic your tribe clings to is a pale imitation of my tribe's power, and I'm sure you will quickly see that you need us more than we ever needed you. I'm sure our earth pony friends will happily stay, however. Is this not right, Miss Oatcake?"

Both leaders stared expectantly at the chancellor. Trembling with fear, she managed to force some words out.

"If the pegasi leave, our crops will die! There won't be enough food for everypony! Your entire tribe will starve!"

Blackheart's face dropped, the pretence of civility evaporating in an instant. He glared at the chancellor. "Is that a threat?" Oatcake didn't respond, nearly in tears. He turned back to Breakspear.

"It seems your allies won't be helping you, Commander. What is your decision?"

Before the commander could say anything, there was a bright burst of light, and the alicorn sisters appeared in front of the three leaders, their faces a mixture of shock and sadness. Silence fell, and Luna spoke.

"Must it be this way, Your Majesty?"

"Luna, I have resisted your attempts to manipulate me up until now; what do you expect to achieve? I have offered my subjects a chance and they have ignored it. If they do not want to live under our guidance then they are free to leave, but the consequences lie on them."

Celestia turned and walked around the three leaders, drawing their eyes past the trembling ponies that surrounded them. Her gaze was fixed on the king, defiance and anger burning in her eyes.

"Can't you see what's happening? You claim to be helping the entire pony race, but you are only causing new division! Those that you would call your subjects are cowering in fear in front of you! This is not the sign of a leader, but a bully! If you try to seize power again, we will not help you."

"We do not need your help. You think that you are powerful, but you are not even half the unicorn I am! You can leave too if you wish, but it will not change my decision."

Breakspear had had enough, and jumped into the air. "In that case, the pegasi are leaving. We'll manage better than you ever could, and if we ever see a unicorn in our lands, they'll be killed on sight." He shouted across the crowd, "I'm leaving this wretched place immediately, and all pegasi are to follow me! That is an order!" He sped off to the south without another word, followed gradually by the pegasus delegates.

Blackheart's voice once again carried magically across the crowd. "It looks like our friends will not be joining us. We will just have to wait now for them to realise their mistake. We shall return to my castle, and from there we will build a strong new unicorn kingdom! Any unicorns who do not follow will be deemed traitors, and my soldiers have orders to kill any traitors on sight. This is my final decision," he said to the alicorns, as he strode through the crowd and left the gathering, followed first by the other unicorn delegates and finally the armoured mages.

Only the earth ponies were left now. Chancellor Oatcake stood, cowed with shock. Celestia put a comforting wing around her, and she collapsed to the ground in tears.

"I don't understand! What just happened? What did I do wrong?"

"This is not your fault," Luna stated, watching after the departing unicorns. "You should have not been forced into such a situation. But what is done is done, and your people have a great trial ahead."

The crowd was stirring, the initial shock wearing off. Some started to cry out, demanding action.

"We need to vote! We need a new chancellor if we're going to survive this!"

"We can't stay here! We should head west, the ground is rich there!"

"Let's get to the nearest town, then an election can be called!"

Shouts of agreement poured from the crowd, and they gradually started marching west. After a long while, the chancellor stood and followed them despondently, her head bowed in shame.

The alicorns watched them leave, still processing the events which had just transpired. After a long silence, Luna turned to her sister, a concerned look on her face.

"Now what do we do, sister?"

"We help them, any way we can. Now more than ever the ponies need comfort and aid. I fear we may be stretched thin now, with the three tribes isolated from each other."

"They may not all wish to be helped."

"As is their right. But we must at least try. It is our duty in this world, and I will not just sit and wait for the impossible to happen when I could be doing something to help."

The two sisters watched the sun sink below the horizon, the sky burning red, then took off into the sky. Celestia flew to the west, following the earth ponies, while Luna flew south to follow the pegasi. They would have to wait before approaching the unicorns again.

* * *

Gradually, the three tribes set about adjusting to independent life. The earth ponies, under the newly-elected Chancellor Greenfield, fared well at first, living off the food grown from existing farmland. But over time the weather grew more and more dangerous; floods washed away many homes and ruined the fields. The poor conditions led to widespread disease, which they could not handle without the unicorn's magic.

The uncontrolled weather also hit the unicorns badly. They had settled in the foothills of the eastern mountains, where the valleys were fertile, which was a small compensation for their lack of aptitude for growing crops. This left them more susceptible to flash floods, however, as water from the mountains poured down through the valleys.

The pegasi found themselves completely unable to produce any useful crops from the ground, having the weakest connection to the earth. They were forced to live off the grass and other wild plants, much of which was destroyed in their initial attempts at farming. They began to starve, and their numbers gradually began to dwindle.

Barely a year after the tribes split, as the harvest approached with little sign of conditions improving, Chancellor Greenfield sent a message to the leaders of the other tribes, requesting a meeting to negotiate a truce. King Blackheart responded immediately, asking them to meet at the Meadowlands in three days time, and to come alone.

On that day, the three leaders gathered. Despite Blackheart's request, Chancellor Greenfield and Commander Breakspear both brought a small contingent of soldiers, a few dozen each, doubting that Blackheart would keep to his word. Sure enough, when they arrived, they found Blackheart flanked by at least fifty armoured mages. The warriors on all sides looked weak from hunger, and any fighting that broke out would likely be swift and decisive.

Celestia and Luna were not present. At the time they were both in villages in the unicorn kingdom, trying to help the unicorns use their magic to grow crops. Knowing of this, King Blackheart chose not to inform them of the meeting and proceed without them.

The three groups came to a halt some distance from each other, facing each other across a shallow dell, while the three leaders climbed down into the valley to meet each other. Chancellor Greenfield spoke first. She was a tall pony, visibly standing over Blackheart, but he did not back down, standing confidently in front of the others.

"This madness has gone on long enough, Blackheart," she said. "If we continue to force ourselves apart, we will not survive another year."

"I quite agree," Blackheart responded with a poisonous smile on his face. "If you had only accepted my offer a year ago, your people would not be starving, and we would be a thriving nation. Have you come here to admit your mistake?"

"_Our_ mistake?" Commander Breakspear jumped into the air and glared at Blackheart, shouting at the top of his lungs. "_You_ put us in this mess! We were doing just fine before you started having your stupid delusions of grandeur!" He landed in front of Blackheart, and looked the king right in the eyes. His voice was quiet, but filled with rage. "I am here to give the terms of your immediate abdication and cessation of hostilities towards my tribe. Command of the unicorns will fall to me until a suitable successor to your throne can be determined. I am willing and able to use force if necessary. Do you understand?"

Greenfield forced the two apart and spun Breakspear around to look at her. "'Commander! What are you doing? This is exactly what threw us apart in the first place! You want to replace one dictator with another, and you think this will solve the problem? Are we next to fall under your wing?"

"At least I'm trying to do something!" the commander responded hotly. "If your tribe had stood up for itself before we may have been working together already! But you were too weak! And now you think that this can be solved with words? The king is clearly mad, and I'm the only one who's willing to put a stop to this before he drags us all down!" The commander took off, hovering above the other leaders in front of his soldiers. "If you force me, I will fight you, but either way this ends today."

The king watched as the other leaders descended into a war of words. Looking over his shoulder, he gave a small nod to his mages, who knelt down into an attack stance, ready to fight. When eventually Greenfield and Breakspear hit a wall, unable to find words to say and just glaring at each other, Blackheart took his chance.

"Friends, can't you see what's happened to you," the king asked the other leaders, his voice level and deceptively friendly. "Hunger has driven you to each other's throats, and you're preparing to kill each other over something which doesn't even need to happen! Please, calm down and consider my offer before you wipe your own tribes out."

Greenfield glared at the king. "The commander is right about one thing, Blackheart. You are mad if you think I would _ever_ ally with you."

"I give you one last chance to stand down," the commander stated. "This ends now."

The king's warm smile stretched into a sickly grin, his eyes filling with greed. Taking a step towards them, he lowered his head, poised to attack. "Very well."

The other leaders recoiled in horror at the sudden change. Seeing the unicorn mages behind him, they both spun to their own warriors, desperately calling for them to attack. The earth ponies reared up, ready to charge, while the pegasi took off into the sky in formation, but they were both too slow. Spells flew out from the unicorn army, hitting both groups at the same time and knocking them to the ground. More spells flew through the air, blasting any stragglers back. The battle was swift, and decisive.

* * *

Hundreds of miles away, in two distant villages, the alicorn sisters collapsed in pain as they felt something being torn apart inside them. They both knew immediately what had happened, and, focussing all the magic they had, they both disappeared in a bright light.

* * *

The three leaders now stared at each other across the space that had formed between them. The mages slowly marched down towards them, while the other battalions struggled to pick themselves up. Blackheart began to advance towards his new subjects, when—

"_**STOP!**_"

In a blinding flash, Celestia and Luna appeared in their midst. They stood back to back, their wings spread out at their sides. Their eyes burned with a fierce fire, filled with a mixture of rage, sorrow and pain, as they stared at the three leaders. They spoke as one, their voices filling the valley but beginning to break under the agony they felt inside.

"_**WE TRY TO HELP YOU AND YOU DO NOT LISTEN! WE GIVE YOU EVERY CHANCE WE CAN TO WORK TOGETHER FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, AND YET YOU DRIVE YOURSELVES APART OVER PETTY ATTEMPTS TO SEIZE POWER! THIS MUST STOP NOW!**_"

The three leaders stood transfixed by the sight before them. The soldiers around the valley stared in shock, mesmerised by the rage radiating from the two sisters. The entire valley seemed to fill with energy, the air becoming thick and heavy. An aggressive silence fell, drowning out everything except their voices. The ponies had to shield their eyes, unable to look at the alicorns directly.

"_**WE GAVE YOU A CHANCE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM YOURSELVES, BUT YOU REFUSED! WE WANTED TO LET YOU SHAPE YOUR OWN DESTINY, BUT ALL YOU HAVE BROUGHT IS DESTRUCTION! YOU HAVE FORCED OUR HAND NOW, AND WE WILL NOT LET THIS CONTINUE!**_"

Breakspear and Blackheart were silent, unable to move, but Greenfield forced her way forward, defiant against the sheer force radiated by the alicorns. She shouted back at them over the silence:

"What do you think's going to happen? We've tried again and again to work together but never can! You know that forcing peace can never work! I'm sorry, but we're done here!"

The sisters relented, their magic pouring back inside them. The world rushed in, and roar of the earth was deafening. Celestia looked deep into Greenfield's eyes, tears welling up in her own. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Is there truly no hope?"

Greenfield looked away, unable to bear the sight of the desperation in the mighty alicorn;s eyes. Breakspear watched Luna for a few moments as she also began to weep, before turning away from her. Finally Blackheart stepped up before them, defiant even to the end.

"There is not."

The words hung heavily in the air. Then, with a mighty roar, the world seemed to tear in half. A blinding wall of energy burst forth from where the sisters stood, knocking down everything that stood in its way. Unable to see, the ponies felt the the magic clawing at their bodies, tearing desperately at their minds. Then as suddenly as it came, the agony ceased. The light faded to reveal a black and dead landscape. All around the valley, the once green plants had been reduced to ash. The sky was also black, the only light coming from the sun, a pale red disc hanging weakly in the sky.

The ponies picked themselves up one by one, but watched in horror as, in the centre of the valley, the two alicorns collapsed to the ground, all life torn from their bodies. They lay defenceless on the ground, their wings splayed out by their sides. Their ever-flowing ethereal manes lay tangled and still on the ground, all colour drained from them. A single tear clung on to the side of Celestia's still-open eyes.

* * *

Screams of terror filled the valley, as everypony desperately clambered away from the valley, repulsed by the death that now filled it. Only King Blackheart remained, staring in shock and confusion at the alicorns that lay before him. The other ponies watched as he collapsed on his haunches and stared at his own hooves, his mind contorting to try and find some sort of explanation for what he had just witnessed.

Eventually something gave way. His face twisted into a manic grin, and he laughed uncontrollably, rearing his head to the sky. Magically amplifying his voice so that all around could hear, he shouted out to everypony.

"You all doubted my power, and you suffered as a result! Now can't you see the truth! I, who have the power to strike down even the mighty alicorns, to control the sun itself! I demand that you follow me immediately! I am not your king, I AM A GOD! _AND YOU WILL WORSHIP ME_!"

He panted in crazed excitement as he stared expectantly at the ponies that watched him from the edge of the valley, But nopony dared respond.

Turning his attention instead to the fallen alicorns, he placed a hoof on Celestia's flank and pushed, watching with glee as her body rolled limply away from him. Stepping over her, he knelt down and stared into Luna's lifeless eyes. His voice was soft, but still carried over the whole valley.

"You tried to control me for so long. You even tried to break into my dreams. You've had your chance. You won't manipulate me again."

He rested his hoof on her neck, then drew it back, preparing to deliver the final blow...

"Stop!"

The single word hit Blackheart like a mace, and he stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. He stared in shock at the alicorns, but they were still motionless on the ground. His eyes burning with rage, he shouted to the sky:

"WHO SAID THAT? WHO WOULD DARE TO DEFY ME?"

"I would." A young unicorn mare broke from the line of mages at the top of the slope and marched towards the king. He watched her in a mixture of rage and confusion as she approached, unable to decide how to respond. When she reached the bottom of the valley, she stood between the king and the alicorns, holding her head high, but her voice wavered as she spoke.

"My name is Silver Moon. I am a junior mage in the unicorn army. I came here to help ensure we could get enough food to feed my family through the next winter. But the other tribes were right about you; you've gone mad, and you're more concerned about having power than you are about my family, or any of your subjects! And now you're going to desecrate the bodies of these two sisters; spit on the graves of two ponies who have only ever tried to help us!" Silver was fighting back tears, trying to keep her voice level as she stared down the most powerful unicorn in the world. She closed her eyes, fully expecting him to strike her down, but at this point she didn't care. Her world was crumbling around her, and she was not going to abandon those who loved her.

When nothing came, she opened her eyes slowly. Blackheart stood still before her, his face frozen in confusion as his twisted mind struggled to process anything that was happening. Feeling a surge of confidence, she cried out across the valley:

"These two sisters cared for all of us when we were hurt or scared! They're hurt now, and it's our turn to care for them! Will anypony join me?"

She looked round at everypony who had gathered around the valley. They were all completely still, and the silence seemed to last for hours, until another voice rose up.

"I will."

A middle-aged pegasus stallion flew up from the hillside, flapped limply down to Silver's side and landed by her. "Sergeant Gunner Beck at your service, in the sisters' honour." He saluted Silver, then patted her gently on the shoulder and turned to Blackheart, his wings flaring defensively.

"Me too."

A young earth pony, barely more than a colt, cantered down the hillside, coming to a halt by Silver's other side. His legs shook nervously. "My name's Wheat Sheaf. I'd be home working on the farm if it wasn't for this stupid fighting. I had friends who were pegasi and unicorns, and I just want to see them again." Silver bent down and gave him a hug, smiling comfortingly at him. The three of them turned to face Blackheart, who was now glaring at them through narrow eyes.

"So you continue your blasphemy! I will give you one day to see your error, and after that, the consequences lie at your hooves!" He turned and marched out of the valley. As he left, his horn glowed red, and a domed shield fell across the valley, sealing the three of them in with the fallen alicorns. "I will return tomorrow, and I expect to hear you begging for forgiveness."

Blackheart marched away, head held high. Everypony else collapsed around the edge of the valley, may falling into a deep sleep, overwhelmed by the events of the past hour.

* * *

Silver Moon stared at the shield trapping them in the valley, then turned and walked back to the alicorns. She closed her eyes and pressed her horn against Celestia's. Opening up her magic, she calling out to the alicorn, but there was no response. She could still feel the traces of life in the fallen Celestia's body, but the spirit there was fragmented, torn in three, and was fading rapidly. No healing spells would be able to repair this damage. Silently, Silver reached out and closed Celestia's eyes. She walked round to Luna and did the same, then she curled up between the two sisters and sobbed quietly.

Gunner Beck flew around the dome, repeatedly slamming his hooves into the magical shield. It rang dully with each impact, but remained strong. Relenting, he landed on the ground again. He looked at Silver, crying between the two alicorns, but didn't know how he could help her. He was a soldier at heart, and there were no enemies to fight here. He met Wheat Sheaf's eyes, shook his head silently, then started pacing around the perimeter of the shield to try and keep his nerves calm.

Wheat Sheaf looked at the blackened ground around him. Like all earth ponies, he had a connection to all life that grew from the ground. At the moment, though, there was only death around him. The ground was repulsive, and he felt like he was going to throw up.

He began pacing back and forth nervously, drawing deep breaths, but suddenly came to a halt when he spotted something on the ground. It was small, buried in the thin ash layer, but it seemed to call out to him. He drew closer and knelt down, and discovered that the object was a single apple seed. It must have been dropped by an animal at some point, and had yet to take root, protecting it from the destruction.

This seed was a small blessing, but Wheat Sheaf latched onto the faint glimmer of hope it provided. He dug a hole in the earth with his hooves, then carefully placed the seed in the ground and covered it over. With the full strength of his will, he begged the seed to grow.

For a few long minutes nothing happened. But then, slowly, a small shoot started to push its way up out of the ash. It reached up for the sky, but finding the world dark and inhospitable, it grew pale and weak. It reached barely an inch out of the ground before giving up and coming to a halt.

Gunner was still pacing around the shield, but when he saw Wheat Sheaf working at the ground, he cantered over to the earth pony to investigate. He looked at the small shoot in the ground, shocked to see anything growing in the dead earth. His eyes met Wheat Sheaf's, and he suddenly understood. Taking off into the air again, he flew around, gathering any moisture he could find from the air. Gradually he was able to form a small cloud, even using some of his own breath to strengthen it. He dragged the cloud over to the shoot, and pushed down on it until it started to rain.

It provided a feeble amount of water, barely a few dozen drops, but the plant absorbed them eagerly, forcing itself up once more. It pushed another inch from the ground, a few leaves starting to form, but could go no further and collapsed under its own weight.

Gunner stared up to the sky. The magical shield provided a dim red light, but it was barely brighter than the sun above, which still gave off only a faint glow. Like the alicorns lying nearby, the sun was fading slowly. Without the sun, the shoot would not be able to grow any further. Like all other life, it appeared that it had no hope. He looked at Celestia; the old stories described her as the spirit of the sun itself, a protective entity watching over the world. Without her the land would die. They needed something to stand in for her if the land was going to heal itself, but their own magic was feeble in comparison to the alicorns. Looking at Silver, still lying between the alicorns, he prayed that it would be enough. Walking slowly over and sitting next to her, he broke the silence that had until then filled the dome.

"Silver Moon?"

Silver didn't respond.

"Silver, we need your help."

"What good can I do?" She shifted on the ground, her words coming between sobs. "I've failed everypony. Luna and... Luna and Celestia are going to die, and there's nothing I can do."

"You haven't failed anypony, Silver," Gunner responded. "You did more than anypony could have asked. You stood up to your own king to protect something that you already thought lost! That takes a lot of courage." Gunner placed a wing over Silver, pulling her closer. "But most importantly, you gave us hope. You showed us that there is still good in the world, if we just have the courage to show it. If you hadn't taken a stand I wouldn't be here, and neither would Wheat Sheaf."

"You wouldn't be trapped here, you mean," silver replied grumpily.

"That's not your fault, Silver. King Blackheart trapped us, not you. "But I much rather be here taking a stand than watching the world fall apart without doing anything. You're the strongest pony I have ever met, and you've brought a ray of light into an old pony's dark life." He smiled at Silver, who looked up at him, and, wiping tears from her eyes, smiled back. "There is something more you can do, though, if you would follow me.

Gunner helped Silver up, then led her over to the small shoot. Wheat Sheaf was lying on the ground, watching it for any signs of movement.

"If there's anything you can do," Gunner asked.

Silver stared at it for a few moments, then looked up at the faint sun that was hanging overhead. She looked back at the plant, and stared at, thinking. Then she closed her eyes, and her horn lit, bathing the three ponies in white light. Very slowly, the shoot started to pick itself up, gradually turning green.

There was a faint whistling sound as the air in the dome stirred, and the light from Silver's horn grew until it filled the space with light and warmth. Fuelled by the magical light, the shoot pushed out of the ground, getting taller and taller. Branches formed and spread, sprouting leaves. A thin bark formed on the trunk, giving it strength. By the time it came to a halt, the shoot had grown into a small tree, and three bright red apples hung from its branches.

The light dimmed and receded, and the three ponies stared in awe at the plant before them. Gunner reached up into the branches and plucked the three apples, and the three of them shared the apples between themselves. Silver took a bite from her apple, savouring the sweet taste, and feeling her hunger start to recede.

But Wheat Sheaf stared at his apple. He had helped to bring forth life once more, but there was still something much more important which needed to be done. He looked over at the two alicorns, who still lay motionless on the ground nearby. If they could save this one seed, then perhaps there was still hope.

Picking his apple up, he stood and approached the alicorns. He lay his apple on the ground in front of them. He knelt and begged to them; "Please come back. We grew this for you. We can still work together, but we can't survive without you. Please." Tears welled up in his eyes. Gunner and Silver walked over and lay down by his side, placing their apples with his. Gunner put his wings over the two young ponies, and they nestled together, praying for something to happen.

Slowly, the air stirred for a second time. The three of them looked around in confusion as their manes started being swept up by the steadily increasing wind. Warmth and light filled the dome once more, but it did not come from Silver's horn this time. The very air seemed to be glowing as pure magic filled the space.

Gunner drew his wings back to his side to protect them from the strong winds. The three ponies stood up, bracing themselves against the gale swirling around them, but before they were torn off their hooves, they felt the magic suddenly pour into them, filling them up and awakening something deep within their spirits. Their eyes flew open, glowing bright as the sun.

A wave of energy burst forth from them, sweeping across the valley once more. The magical shield shattered when it hit, and the ash covering the ground was blasted away. The earth shook as the life-giving wave healed the charred soil, and thick, luscious grass sprang forth everywhere, covering the valley.

Air rushed into the valley, and the three ponies were lifted into the air, surrounding the fallen alicorns. The sisters' bodies were lifted into the sky by the raging winds, as they were surrounded by bands of magic in all colours of the rainbow. Light radiated from their bodies, illuminating the land for miles around. With a thunderous crash, the magic burst upwards in a vast beam, and the sky filled with blinding light.

* * *

All around the valley, the gathered ponies stirred, dazzled by the burst of light, and strained to see what had caused it. When the light receded, they were amazed by what they saw.

The barren land of the valley was now covered with lush grass, enough to feed hundreds of ponies. In the centre stood a magnificent apple tree, at least twenty feet tall, its branches bursting with ripe fruit. Around it were the three ponies who had stood up to King Blackheart, staring with determination at the ponies around them.

In front of them, Celestia and Luna stood strong and tall, their wings outstretched to protect the ponies behind them. Their manes flowed even in the stillness, radiating light. The entire scene was bathed in warmth and light as, in the sky above them, the sun and moon hung side by side. The sisters spoke together, their voice once more filling the valley.

"_**LISTEN TO US. THE THREE PONIES WHO STAND BEFORE YOU HAVE SHOWN GREAT COURAGE AND STRENGTH, AND TOGETHER THEY HAVE ACHIEVED SOMETHING THAT YOUR ENTIRE RACE HAS NOT MANAGED IN GENERATIONS. BY IGNORING THEIR DIFFERENCES AND WORKING TOGETHER THEY HAVE BROUGHT HARMONY BACK INTO THE WORLD. WE ALL OWE THEM A GREAT DEBT.**_

"_**LET THIS BE A CALL TO PONIES EVERYWHERE. IT IS TIME TO START AGAIN AND BUILD A STRONG NATION WHERE ALL PONIES LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER AS EQUALS. WE MUST TAKE THEIR EXAMPLE TO HEART IF WE ARE TO HAVE ANY HOPE, BUT THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT IT IS AT LEAST POSSIBLE.**_

"_**YOU HAVE TRIED FOR SO LONG TO FIND YOUR TRIBES' PLACES IN THIS WORLD. WE CAN SEE NOW THAT IT IS THIS WHICH HAS PUSHED YOU APART; YOU HAVE ASSUMED THAT YOUR DESTINIES ARE SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER, AND SO YOU HAVE ISOLATED YOURSELVES THINKING THAT THIS WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR TRIBES. IT IS CLEAR NOW; ALL THREE TRIBES, YOUR DESTINIES ARE LINKED, YOUR PLACE WITH EACH OTHER. AS LIFE CAN ONLY COME FORTH WHEN THE ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD COME TOGETHER IN HARMONY, THE PONY RACE CAN ONLY THRIVE IF THE THREE TRIBES ARE TOGETHER AS ONE.**_"

The gathered ponies were silent for a long time, then gradually they burst into cheers. All around the valley, the gathered ponies embraced each other, regardless of tribe.

Greenfield and Breakspear did not join in the cheering, staring solemnly at each other across the valley. Eventually they stood up and made their way down to meet the sisters. Greenfield approached Celestia and said "What will become of us now?"

Luna turned to face her, her face stern. "You must each be held accountable for your actions. Neither of you are wholly to blame for what has transpired, but you each played your part. If we are to move beyond this tragic episode, we must put everything behind us. Judgement will be left to your tribes, but my sister and I will be watching to ensure that they are fair."

"And what of Blackheart?"

The sisters turned and looked into the distance, remembering the king whose actions had precipitated this event. They considered the question, then Luna spoke to the other leaders.

"Blackheart will be found, and he will stand trial also. Whether his actions were driven by malice or madness, he must be held accountable, as his actions may have nearly destroyed the entire world."

"But our duty in this world is to protect all ponies, regardless of their crimes," Celestia added. "If he has truly descended into madness, we will help him regain his mind. The least he deserves is a chance to truly understand and repent for his actions. Whatever the case, he is not to be harmed. Do you understand? Neither is anypony else who was involved today. We must not turn against each other again, for any reason."

The two leaders hung their heads, and nodded. They stood, contemplating their futures, and that of their tribes. Breakspear looked at the ponies that were now gathering around them in the valley. Members of all three tribes were present, but they stood there as one race, embracing each other without fear or distrust for the first time in years. He looked proudly at his pegasus soldiers, their wings wrapped around their fellow ponies. But there was a small doubt in the back of his mind. He turned back to face the alicorns.

"Who is going to lead us now? If we are to form a single nation, we need leadership, but you've seen what happens when a member of one race tries to take control." He hung his head in shame remembering his own attempted coup not that long ago. The question hung heavily in the air.

"You should."

Everypony went silent. Luna and Celestia turned to face the source of the voice and found Gunner, Silver and Wheat Sheaf, the three ponies who had saved their lives. They were standing next to each other now, looking up at the alicorns before them. Gunner looked down at the young ponies on either side of him, and as they nodded encouragingly at him, he looked back at the alicorns and continued.

"All these years you have stood by us all, regardless of tribe. We need help and protection, even if just from ourselves, and I can't think of anypony more suited for the job than you." He flew into the air, hovering above the apple tree, and addressed the crowd.

"Despite what Blackheart said, these two sisters always helped us when we needed it, and have never turned their backs on us! If they have not succeeded, it is only because we have refused to listen to them in our stubbornness! Well I say they deserve our respect, and we should be honoured to receive the gifts they freely give us! I hope nopony has any objections. I can think of none."

He looked at all the gathered ponies. Excited whispers spread through the group, and Gunner was pleased to see excitement on many faces. After what had happened here, it was a relief to see them all smiling again. This was what the nation needed, in so many ways.

Landing beside his new friends again, Gunner looked over at Breakspear and Greenfield, who were huddled together in quiet conversation. They reached an agreement and turned to face the alicorns.

"We cannot speak for everypony," Greenfield stated, "but the two of us would gladly recognise your leadership."

She smiled and nodded at Gunner, who nodded back. He then knelt down, bowing in front of the alicorns. Silver and Wheat Sheaf joined him, followed by Breakspear and Greenfield. One by one, everypony knelt reverently before the sisters.

The sisters were overcome with joy. Seeing happiness and friendship in the hearts of so many ponies was elating. And now they were being offered an opportunity to guide and nurture the pony race to an extent that they had never had before. How could they possibly refuse such a request?

When they turned to face the three ponies again, they were smiling brightly, their joy filling the valley. Everypony looked up at them expectantly, and Celestia broke the silence.

"If this is what you wish, then we will gladly accept."

Cheers filled the valley. Ponies started rushing forward to embrace their new leaders. Soon they left and returned to their tribes, spreading the word of the events which had transpired. Ponies from all corners of the land flooded back to the meadowlands, where they greeted each other with new-found friendship.

In remembrance of that day, and the events which had led to the pony race finally freeing themselves from generations of self-imposed separation, the land surrounding the valley was named Everfree, and a great castle was built in the alicorns' honour, from which they watched over and guided their nation. They each chose to take the title of Princess, in recognition of their newly granted authority and joint rulership. The ponies named their nation Equestria, the first true unified nation of ponies, and together they grew and prospered, spreading to all corners of the land.

In the land surrounding Everfree Castle, a vast apple orchard was planted, each tree descending from that first tree that Wheat Sheaf grew with the help of his friends. That orchard survived many ages and hardships, and their offspring continue to grow to this day.

* * *

_That day was the most painful in my entire life, and was a sobering reminder of my own fallibility. But it is so often the way that the darkest of events can lead to great change and joy. If the pony race had not been forced through this painful trial, they may never have emerged as the strong nation which came after._

_There was a deeper significance to these events, however. As the magic of the world began to crumble, I felt my own spirit being split in three. It was only then that I realised the importance of the bonds between the three tribes, and how they were directly tied to my own being and the structure and stability of the entire world. I saw how much damage could come if the tribes ever split from each other, and vowed to use all my power to ensure that the nation of Equestria remained safe and strong forever._

_In that dark moment, it was as if Harmony itself cried out in pain. Latching on to the spark of friendship in those three ponies, it reached out into the world and used their power to pull the fragmented spirits of the world together once more. This event left its own mark on those three ponies, each of them bearing a bond to a piece of Harmony for the rest of their lives. The change was subtle, but I could feel its strength in their spirits._

_This was a more powerful magic than anything I_ _had ever felt, and my sister and I decided to study its nature and determine its purpose. The power was alien and elusive, however, and I did not want to do anything to harm those three ponies. I was fortunate to be able to talk to all three again as_ _they died, however, and with their permission I took custody of the three spirits that had bonded to them, so that I could study their secrets more closely._

_In time I came to know these spirits as three of the Elements of Harmony, a mysterious group of spirits which help bind and sustain the universe._

_It was many generations until I saw how important their power would become to the future of Equestria, however, as there were still many secrets that the universe had yet to reveal to me._

_Princess Celestia_


	3. Chapter 2 - The Prophecy

**Chapter 3 - The Prophecy**

* * *

_A long period of peace followed the events of Everfree, and the nation of Equestria prospered and spread throughout the land. The three tribes chose to retain their historic leadership structure, in order to cope with any tribal concerns directly, but the three regents, as they became known, willingly deferred to our leadership. Our new role took considerable adapting to, but the gratitude we felt from our subjects was all the encouragement we needed._

_Most of our time was spent in and around Everfree Castle, which had become the seat of government for all Equestria. Dignitaries travelled there from across the land to seek counsel, which we gladly gave. Remembering our duties to all ponies, however, we also made sure to travel away from the castle periodically, living among our subjects for short periods to aid them in their lives._

_In spite of the peace and prosperity, I one day learned that there was unrest among the spirits of Harmony. I did not know what the cause was, but there was a lingering danger, of which the spirits one day saw fit to warn me. They did not speak to me directly, likely due to my close connection with my sister. Instead, they reached out through the dreams of a young unicorn called Clarity Fairheart, in order to pass a message through her._

_Princess Celestia_

* * *

Clarity was walking along a narrow path through a thick forest. The trees were twisted and deformed, like no plant she had ever seen. Their dense branches almost blocked out the clear night sky, but beams of moonlight shone through the gaps.

"Hello?"

Nopony responded. Something moved suddenly in the bushes to her left, and she spun around, searching for it with her eyes.

There was nothing there.

Clarity looked around, trying to get her bearings, but the path looked exactly the same in both directions, and she couldn't remember which way she had been facing. Picking a random direction, she cantered off into the darkness. She lit her horn to try and see where she was going, but the darkness seemed to drown out the light.

A short time later, she came to a crossroads. There was a signpost, but it was old and worn, and she couldn't make out the words.

In the distance, she could hear whispering, a thousand distant voices coming from all directions, talking at the same time. She spun round, looking down each of the paths, but couldn't see anypony.

Gradually the noise increased, until all other sounds in the forest were drowned out. The whispering grew faster, and more frantic.

The voices were coming towards her.

"Who are you?" She called out, but there was no response. The voices continued to advance. The distant trees receded, the paths falling into shadow.

She spun around desperately, looking for the source of the voices. They drilled into her mind, drowning out her own thoughts. She fell to the ground, pounding at her head to try and get the voices to leave.

Suddenly, they stopped. Then they spoke again, as one voice.

_SEEK OUT THE SUN._

Clarity leapt up and shouted at the voices. "Who are you? What do you mean? Where is this place?"

She spun again, searching the forest for any sign of life.

Her eyes fell on something.

In the darkness of one of the paths were two narrow eyes, glowing green, looking right at her.

Tripping over her own hooves in shock, she wheeled around and galloped away from the staring eyes, crashing through the trees. She ducked and dodged madly as branches whipped out of the darkness to catch her.

Looking behind her, she saw the eyes again. The creature they belonged to bounded through the trees, gaining on her. Two more creatures had joined it now, coming from either side.

Her panted heavily as she dashed between the trees. The plants seemed to close in on her, their sharp branches clawing at her skin.

She tripped on something.

Rolling through the dirt and bushes, she scrabbled up against a tree as the eyes caught up with her. Coming out of the darkness were three giant wolves, their bodies made from wood, leaves, and other parts of the forest. They surrounded her, raising their claws.

_SEEK OUT THE SUN. SHE MUST HELP US._

"Leave me alone!"

The trees around her burst into flame; the searing heat clawed at her fur. The wolves fled, yelps of fear and pain fading away and quickly being drowned out by the raging fire.

Clarity clambered back onto her hooves and ran blindly through the burning trees. She crashed through a bush, feeling the flames on her skin. Panicking, she fell to the ground and curled up tightly, willing the fire away.

The world went dark and cold. Looking up from where she had landed, Clarity saw that the trees had gone. There was no fire any more, but she was covered in ash. The land around her was dark and featureless.

Confused and afraid, she lit her horn again and looked everywhere for signs of where she was, but there was nothing anywhere to be seen.

_SEEK OUT THE SUN. SHE MUST ACT._

"What do you mean? Who are you?"

Her calls were answered this time by a distant growling. One by one, a dozen pairs of green eyes appeared in the darkness, surrounding her. They advanced, and Clarity fell to the ground shaking as the wolves closed in on her.

Suddenly, the wolves fell silent. Clarity looked up just as a huge indigo figure soared over her head. Princess Luna landed forcefully on the ground in front of her, horn glowing with magic, and the wolves fled at the sight of the alicorn. Once they were gone, Luna looked up to the sky, and as if by her will, the sun slowly began to rise above the horizon, illuminating the strange landscape around them.

Clarity looked up at Luna, still trembling in fear, and her eyes fell on the silver crescent on her flank. She remembered the voice she had heard.

_Seek out the sun..._

Luna turned to face Clarity, and extended a hoof to help her up.

"You are safe now, Clarity. Are you hurt?"

Clarity covered her head with her hooves, unable to look the alicorn in the eyes. She shuffled backwards, away from the offered hoof.

Luna retracted the hoof, confused by her reaction. She instead took a step back and knelt down on the blackened earth.

"Clarity, please. I came here to help you. Tell me what you need."

Clarity peeked out between her hooves and looked at Luna, but the sight of her eyes was painful. She covered her head again, and tried to speak, having to force the words out.

"I... I need to speak to Princess Celestia."

Luna didn't respond. Opening her eyes carefully, Clarity saw that Luna had been distracted by something in the ground, pawing at it quizzically. Standing up, Luna looked around in confusion at the landscape, spinning to see the entire area. After many moments of silence, she looked back over her shoulder to Clarity. Seeing the small unicorn flinch at her gaze, she turned to face away again before speaking.

"Come to Everfree in three days time, at midday. My sister will be waiting for you."

With that, Luna faded away, and Clarity found herself lying in lush meadowland, birds singing in the clear sky above her.

* * *

Three days later, Clarity arrived at the gates to the Everfree estate. The road was flanked by two huge stone statues, each depicting one of the alicorn sisters. A dense orchard of apple trees spread into the distance on either side, and at the end of the winding track, Everfree castle rose majestically above the landscape. It was a warm spring day, and the trees were in full blossom, the orchard a sea of white and green rustling in the breeze. Amongst the trees, Clarity could see numerous birds and animals, and in the distance there was a gardener tending to one of the trees.

Setting off along the track, Clarity looked up nervously at the castle. She wondered to herself if Luna was there at the moment. If Celestia was coming to meet her, it was quite likely that Luna would be seeing to court matters, meaning they were unlikely to encounter each other. Clarity was surprised when she realised that she was relieved by this thought.

Rounding the first bend, she stopped dead. Princess Celestia was standing ahead of her, enjoying the fragrance of the blossoms on one of the trees. A golden tiara sat on her head, and she wore a matching peytral and ornate golden horseshoes, as symbols of her title. Clarity had never met Celestia before, having only heard descriptions, but she could see a clear resemblance between the two sisters; they had the same tall stature, and her translucent mane and tail flowed gently in the breeze. The most striking difference, however, was their almost perfectly contrasting coats. While Luna was a deep indigo, Celestia's mane was a soft pink hue, and her coat was so pure white that in the sunlight it almost seemed to glow. While the sisters shared a profound bond with each other, Clarity could see just from their appearance and mannerisms that the two were still very different from each other, as if they were two different sides of the same being.

* * *

Celestia watched the young unicorn approach. It was clear that she was intimidated by the vast estate that spread out before her, as many first-time visitors were. She had a pastille pink coat and lavender mane, matching Luna's description of Clarity Fairheart. If Luna's suspicions were correct, then there was something very special about this shy little pony.

Celestia turned and approached Clarity, giving her a welcoming smile. Celestia sensed that she was feeling a heavy burden on her mind.

"You must be Clarity," she said.

"Yes, Princess." Clarity's nerves began to calm somewhat in Celestia's presence. The princess held a wing out, gesturing towards the trees.

"I do enjoy a stroll through the orchard at this time of year. Would you care to join me?"

Celestia led the way towards the trees, with Clarity following beside her. She didn't speak for a few minutes, letting Clarity calm down as she took in the sights and smells of the orchard. Celestia much preferred having more personal conversations in the orchard rather than back at the castle; the trees made it feel much more private and secluded than the busy castle ever did. The vegetation also tended to have a naturally calming effect on other ponies, which also helped. After a while, Clarity turned to the princess.

"This is a lot nicer than the last forest I was in," she said. Catching herself, she blushed and quickly looked the other way. "Er, apologies, your High—"

"Don't worry, Miss Fairheart," Celestia interrupted, smiling. "This isn't the royal court. You may speak freely here. Now, if I may ask, which forest was that? I understand that you live in Riverdale, and I don't believe there are any forests near there."

"Oh, this wasn't a real forest."

"Ah, so this would be in your dream?" Clarity nodded. "Now, this dream is an interesting matter," Celestia continued. "I was surprised a few days ago when Luna came to me to discuss it. She doesn't normally talk to me about our subjects' dreams, preferring to respect their privacy. But this is the first time that somepony asked for me by name during a dream." Out of the corner of her eye, Celestia noticed that Clarity had flinched slightly at the mention of Luna's name.

"If I may," Clarity ventured, "I was a bit surprised that you agreed to see me. I'd have thought that you had more important things to do than talk to me about a bad dream."

"I always like to make time to talk to my subjects," Celestia reassured her. "I spend so much time dealing with politics. I'm glad to do it, of course, but I cherish every moment I can spend with my little ponies. It helps me stay familiar with those whom I serve. But as I am sure you suspect, there were other factors in play here.

"My sister said that the place she found you in was very familiar to her. She could not be certain under the conditions, but if she is correct, you were in a place that there is no way you could have seen before. A place which holds great significance to me personally. There is also the fact that you asked for me by name. As I said before, that has not happened within a dream before.

"But there is also the fact that Luna..." Clarity flinched at the name again, clearly disturbed, and Celestia stopped. "I'm sorry. I can see that this isn't easy for you to talk about. Would you prefer to sit down for a while?"

Clarity nodded absent-mindedly, and the two of them lay down in a patch of sunlight between the rows of apple trees. Celestia waited a minute, listening to the sound of the birds in the sky. As Clarity seemed to loosen up, she pressed on cautiously.

"I need to ask. Why are you so disturbed by my sister?"

Clarity looked up suddenly, as if she thought she had offended Celestia, but the face she found looking back at her was not stern or disapproving. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she answered.

"I'm not. Or at least I shouldn't be! She came to live in my village when I was younger. She stayed a few months to help set up the new mill by the river. She even foalsat me a few times when my parents were busy! I was really sad when she had to leave! But then..." She shivered at a painful memory. "But then, she appears in my dream. She saves me from those... wolf things, and greets me like a friend, but all I can feel is fear! It felt like I was staring into the eyes of a monster! I don't know why. I can't explain it. That's just what it felt like. All I wanted was for Luna to leave, so I wouldn't have to see those _eyes _staring back at me!"

Celestia stared into the distance, disturbed by this revelation. Luna tended to only visit dreams where ponies were scared or in danger, so it was natural that they would be afraid when she arrived. But on the occasions when she had discussed the dream world with Celestia, she had always said that they were relived when they realised she was there to help them. What Clarity described was a fear directed specifically at Luna, not just a residual fear from whatever else was in the dream. It was as if something had forced its way into her mind and _made_ her fear Luna. But there were vanishingly few forces capable of that. Her sister was the only other pony Celestia had ever encountered with such abilities, but she would never use the ability, particularly not against herself.

"What else can you tell me about the dream? Did anything else seem out of the ordinary?"

Clarity looked up at Celestia, confused. "It was a nightmare. Everything seemed odd. But there was..."

"Please, take your time." Celestia gently patted Clarity on the back with her wing. "We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."

"No, I'm okay. I think I need to tell you about it, anyway. It's why I asked to see you in the first place. It was... there was a voice. Well, it was more like thousands of voices, but they spoke to me. They told me to find you, said there was something you had to do."

"I see. Did they say what it was?"

"No, they just said that you had to help them. Your sister arrived after that, and I didn't hear them again."

Celestia pondered this for a moment, great gears of thought rolling in to place in her mind. These voices, whatever they belonged to, had a message for her, and it appeared to involve her sister. It was clearly a significant matter for them to have gone to this much effort, both to get the message to her in the first place, and apparently to keep it hidden from Luna. It didn't seem that Luna was in direct danger; that would likely have manifested as fear _for_ her, not _of_ her. But anything that could cause her to become so hated, so reviled by those who once called her friend? Luna needed to be protected from this at all costs. Whatever these voices were, Celestia needed to hear them.

It was clear now why Clarity was carrying such a great burden. The voices needed to speak to Celestia, and the only safe conduit they could find was the mind of another pony. They couldn't approach Celestia directly, as her mind was linked too closely to Luna's; they would have risked her also hearing the message. They had decided that they needed to speak to her indirectly, using somepony as an intermediary.

Paradoxically, this had led them to encounter Luna first. As a result, they couldn't just give their message directly to Clarity. They needed her to come to Celestia before they could pass it on. If this was all true, then it meant two things: First, these voices must possess an intimate understanding of the sisters' full nature, more than any pony ever did. Second, it meant that those voices were still waiting inside Clarity, weighing down on her mind and clouding her judgement. Celestia needed to let them speak, and there was only one possible way that she knew of.

Celestia took a deep breath, preparing herself. Silently, she let her magic stir inside her. This was a powerful magic, a sort which she used sparingly, only in cases which demanded it. Clarity would be unharmed, fortunately, but some things are meant to be kept private, protected. A pony's spirit was sacred, and should not be interfered with lightly. She looked down at the young pony resting beside her.

"Clarity, you did well to come to me. I think it's clear that there was something unnatural about this dream. I can help you, but first I need to determine the exact nature of what occurred. If you will permit me, I would like to enter your memory and experience the dream myself."

Clarity turned to face her, surprised. "You can do that?"

"I can. I prefer not to, but it seems that whatever these voices need to say is meant for me. I need to see it for myself." Seeing the concern on Clarity's face, she continued, "Do not worry. You will not be harmed, and you will not need to relive the dream yourself. It will only last a moment."

Clarity considered this for a long time, her eyes drifting between the trees but her thoughts miles away. Then she turned to face Celestia once more. Swallowing her concern, she looked the alicorn in the eyes.

"If you think it's necessary, then I trust you. What do I need to do?"

"Just close your eyes. This may feel strange for a moment, but it will pass."

Clarity closed her eyes, breathing deeply. Celestia felt a pang of guilt. She was asking Clarity to trust her completely, and yet she had lied to her. She had only withheld certain facts to protect Clarity, but that did little to comfort her. Celestia closed her eyes as well, and leaned down to place her horn next to Clarity's. Magic flowed between the two, and the world dissolved around them...

* * *

Clarity was walking along a narrow path through a thick forest. Celestia was there also, observing. She was no longer in her own body, instead viewing the world of the dream through Clarity's senses. She could feel Clarity's fear, but it was no more than could be expected in such a place. Whatever she was here to see was yet to happen.

The trees around her were ancient, the forest giving the air of having endured many ages. Celestia could taste arcane magic in the air. this place had been scarred and corrupted by powerful forces long ago. There was still life among the trees, but it was twisted, damaged. Celestia found this place deeply unsettling, almost offensive.

Clarity had travelled along the path for what felt like a few minutes, when she came to a crossroads. It was at this moment that Celestia felt it. Somewhere in the midst of this scene, a powerful force was waiting. There were voices, thousands of them, seemingly coming from all directions.

"Who are you?" Clarity's voice called out. The voices did not respond, but slowly advanced on her until they seemed to fill the entire space around her. Celestia could now start to make out some individual voices amongst the throng, but they did not make sense. They seemed to be talking, not about _something_, but about _everything_.

The presence filled the space, saturating the air with thoughts and words. It became too much for Clarity to bear, and she collapsed to the ground. They were pressing against her mind, trying to find a way in, pounding at her defences in desperation. Her thoughts were being crushed, and the very world of the dream was being compressed, the trees receding into darkness.

Celestia watched, shocked at the force of the voices and the trauma they were exerting on the poor pony. Whatever they were, they were desperate.

Suddenly, something snapped, and the voices flooded into Clarity's mind. The forest drew back, falling silent. Somewhere, in the back of Clarity's mind, Celestia could still sense a lingering presence. It had happened.

_SEEK OUT THE SUN._

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere. They had spoken directly to Clarity, projecting the thought into her very consciousness. Clarity called out, but they did not respond.

It was then that the forest stirred. Celestia could sense it before Clarity did; something had come out of the trees, and was watching.

Clarity saw it too, the eyes staring at her out of the darkness. Instinct took control, and she bolted into the trees, quickly losing track of the path. The land had turned hostile, trees reaching out to stop her. A root caught her hoof, throwing her to the ground. In a matter of seconds the creatures caught up with her, emerging out of the darkness. They were abominations, the twisted magic that filled the forest using the remains of the trees to build a crude imitation of life. They advanced, ready to rid the forest of the pony that had intruded into their domain.

_SEEK OUT THE SUN. SHE MUST HELP US._

"Leave me alone!"

The voices were stirring again, and Clarity's mind fought instinctively against the surge. The trees were suddenly consumed in searing flames, driving the wolves away. It had been too much, though, and Clarity's own defences turned against her, the fire burning her fur. She fled, battling her way through the flames.

Clarity fell to the ground, and the voices pushed their way into her subconscious, imposing themselves on the dream world. In an instant, the forest dissolved. Everything went dark; the sky was blank and featureless, and the ground, illuminated only by the light of Clarity's horn, was black and charred.

Celestia could feel the sense of familiarity which Luna had described. It seemed to fit, but she could not be certain at this point. She could not see clearly enough. She would have to wait for the end of the dream.

_SEEK OUT THE SUN. SHE MUST ACT._

"What do you mean? Who are you?"

Once again, the voices spoke, and Celestia could feel them spreading through Clarity's mind, weighing down on her every thought. The moment was drawing close.

Clarity was terrified, and her own fear took hold on the dream once more. A dozen of the wolves drew out of the darkness, surrounding her.

Suddenly the voices fell silent. They retreated into the back of Clarity's mind as another presence forced itself into the dream. Luna landed in the midst of the wolves, pushing them back with her own magic.

Satisfied that the dream world was safe, Luna raised her head to the sky and willed light into the landscape. The sun rose slowly above the distant horizon, bathing the scene in a dim red light.

Immediately, Celestia knew that her sister had been right. She had only ever seen this scene before for an instant, but that moment was etched so powerfully on to her mind that there could be no uncertainty. The shallow valley rising away from her, the scorched earth...

Celestia's thoughts were drawn back to Clarity by a surge of emotion coming from somewhere deep within the unicorn's mind. Luna had turned to face her, but the sight of her eyes repulsed Celestia. This was not her sister. It couldn't be. Her very presence filled Clarity's mind with terror, and Celestia felt it also. Projected onto the face before her was a deep loathing, a vengeful monster whose eyes burned with chaos and destruction. And Celestia hated it. She hated what it had done to her sister, and for a single moment, she wanted nothing more than to destroy it.

* * *

The dream world dissolved. Clarity had disappeared, and Celestia found her mind floating through a great void, thoughts and images flowing through her. The landscape of thoughts and concepts shifted continually, shapes and scenes merging into one another.

The voices drew together once more, speaking directly to her.

_YOU ARE THE SUN._

"I am. Who are you?"

_WE ARE THE WORLD. THE SPIRITS WHICH MAKE AND SUSTAIN EVERYTHING._

"You are Harmony?"

_WE ARE PART OF HARMONY._

"Why have you summoned me here? What is happening to my sister?"

_YOU ARE HERE THAT YOU MAY BE WARNED. WE HAVE SEEN ECHOES OF EVENTS IN THIS WORLD'S FUTURE. THEY THREATEN TO DESTROY EVERYTHING. THEY MUST BE STOPPED._

"Like what happened at Everfree?"

The images shifted, and that scene from centuries before formed in the void. Luna and Celestia stood, frozen in time, surrounded by the three leaders of the pony tribes, their eyes burning, radiating magical energy.

_IN THIS PLACE, YOU WATCHED AS, FOR THE FIRST TIME, HARMONY NEARLY FELL TO CHAOS. YOU STOOD ALONGSIDE YOUR SISTER AND DID EVERYTHING YOU COULD TO STOP THE APPROACHING DESTRUCTION, BUT YOU ULTIMATELY FAILED._

"But Harmony still prevailed! And now it's stronger than it ever was before!"

_YES._

The scene changed. The three ponies who had saved them at Everfree stood side by side in the darkness, power pouring from them.

_THOSE THREE PONIES BONDED WITH THE SPIRITS OF THE UNIVERSE, THE VERY ELEMENTS OF HARMONY ITSELF, AND TOGETHER WERE ABLE TO PUSH BACK THE END._

"If the Elements of Harmony are so much more powerful than my sister and I, why do you need me?"

_THEY CANNOT ACT ON THEIR OWN. THEY ARE A CONDUIT, THROUGH WHICH POWER CAN REACH HARMONY ITSELF. YOUR MAGIC WILL BE REQUIRED IF THEY ARE TO SUCCEED._

"But they did not need us before! Why is this time different?"

_BECAUSE THERE IS A FORCE MORE POWERFUL THAN THESE THREE ELEMENTS. SOMETHING CAPABLE OF HIDING ITSELF EVEN FROM HARMONY. SOMETHING WITH THE POWER TO THROW THE UNIVERSE INTO CHAOS PERMANENTLY._

"What?"

_WE DO NOT KNOW._

The statement echoed in the void. Faint images of strange events washed across Celestia's consciousness as she absorbed the implications of the words.

"What do you mean?"

The ancient, twisted forest appeared, now from above the trees. An ancient ruined castle could be seen, decaying and broken, illuminated by the moonlight.

_WE DO NOT KNOW. WE CANNOT SEE THE FUTURE, ONLY ECHOES OF EVENTS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO RESONATE ACROSS HISTORY. SOMETHING WILL ARISE, AND YOU MUST STAND AGAINST IT WITH YOUR SISTER. ONLY THEN CAN THE CHAOS BE HELD BACK._

"My sister? What happens to Luna?"

Luna's face appeared once more, her eyes alien and unfamiliar.

_YOU HAVE THE THREE ELEMENTS, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE ENOUGH. GREAT SACRIFICES WILL HAVE TO BE MADE BY ALL IF YOU ARE TO SUCCEED. THE BATTLE WILL LEAVE SCARS ON MANY. THE PROTECTORS WILL TURN AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND THE MOON WILL FALL._

"No! You said you don't know the future! This doesn't have to happen! THIS CAN'T HAPPEN!"

_SOME THINGS ARE UNCLEAR, BUT OTHERS ARE FIXED. YOU MUST BE STRONG. YOU MUST DEFEAT THIS ENEMY._

"But you said that the elements were not powerful enough! How can we ever win this?"

_THERE ARE OTHERS._

New scenes flashed by, faded and blurred with uncertainty. Three ponies huddled together in the dark. A single pony, surrounded by friends as she mourned. Six ponies entering the forest together.

_THERE ARE YET OTHER ELEMENTS TO WAKE. IN TIME, BALANCE MAY FINALLY BE RESTORED. YOU MUST REMAIN PATIENT AND VIGILANT._

"And Luna will be safe?"

_THEIR FATE IS YOURS. YOU MUST BE CAREFUL OR ALL MAY BE LOST._

"I DEMAND THAT YOU TELL ME IF LUNA WILL BE SAFE!"

_WE HAVE TOLD YOU ALL WE CAN. PREPARATIONS MUST BE MADE. DO NOT FAIL._

* * *

Celestia opened her eyes. Clarity was sitting there, her eyes closed, her body still and calm. Celestia stood up, her head swimming with thoughts. Overwhelmed by the information she had been entrusted with, she paced restlessly around the small clearing.

Somewhere out there, in the vast expanses of Harmony, something was waiting to tear apart the world she had grown to love, to overthrow the nation she had poured her life into building and nurturing. If she did nothing, it would destroy everypony she loved, and even if she did everything she could, there was no hope of saving everything.

She desperately held back the pain, resisting the urge to scream at the heavens. In an instant, the spirits had pulled the very foundations of her world out from under her, and she could feel herself crumbling. She had failed, even before she had been given a chance to start. She had made a promise. She had vowed to protect this world from all that threatened it, to keep the ponies in her care from ever having to experience what she had felt at Everfree. It was her duty to Equestria, to the world, to Harmony itself, to protect its integrity and maintain the balance of all things. To think that all her efforts were in vain was devastating.

And now fate was going to take her own sister from her. Luna was a part of her, as she was of Luna. They held a bond so strong that she dreaded to imagine what could happen if it was ever broken. Would either of them survive? And what would happen to Equestria then?

_I can't let this happen,_ she thought. _And I won't. I have been mistaken before. The other spirits cannot know everything. They must be wrong._ A fire burned inside her. She knew what must be done. She would prepare in any way she could, to ensure that the pony race would live on. And she would devote her life to finding any way keep her sister safe.

She looked back to Clarity, still sitting on the grass. Her eyes were open now, and she watched Celestia expectantly. Clarity looked happy once more, and in spite of everything the warmth of her smile calmed Celestia's raging mind. She returned to Clarity's side and lay down on the grass, forcing a smile to her face.

"How much of what just happened do you remember?"

"I felt something as you cast the spell, but then it just stopped. I didn't see anything more from the dream."

Celestia sighed in relief. At least this burden only lay on her now. She would not have to force another pony to endure the secret with her.

"And what of my sister?"

Clarity considered the question. "I can still remember the feeling, but it doesn't seem the same. It's like the fear isn't my own any more, just a story I was told." She smiled, able to enjoy the memory of her old friend again. After a while, she turned back to Celestia. "What happened? What did you see?"

Celestia thought carefully, planning her response.

"There are many spirits which reside in this world," she explained, eventually. "From what I could discern from your dream, it seems that your own spirit inadvertently became entangled with theirs, and this caused the confused feelings you felt. Fortunately they were able to instruct you to come here, and I was able to release them."

It was a lie, of course, but Celestia could not bear to leave her worried more than she needed to be. Clarity considered the words with a puzzled expression, but then replied.

"My parents always said I was good at seeing the minds of other ponies. You know, knowing how they feel and that sort of thing. It's part of my special talent, I think. Do you think it has to do with that?"

Celestia noted the unicorn's cutie mark: two intertwined ribbons, bound together in a spiral. She had not given it any thought previously.

"It may well, Clarity. Your talents may well have made you more receptive to the spirit world, allowing them to accidentally enter your mind while you were asleep. But I wouldn't be concerned. They are gone now, and if I am right, it will not happen again."

Clarity nodded, and stood up once more, her mind now free from the weight that had held her down for three days. Celestia stood also, and led her through the trees to the road.

"Now I must return to the castle. There is business which needs attending to. Will you be okay making your way home?" Clarity nodded confidently and looked up at Celestia with a grateful smile.

"Thank you for the help, Princess."

"You are very welcome," Celestia replied. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Clarity. Farewell."

Clarity turned and trotted along the road, happily watching the birds singing in the sky.

* * *

Celestia watched Clarity leave, distracted by guilt at having to lie to the young pony like that. But there was worse to come. She had to face her sister now. She hoped that she would be able to look Luna in the eye, after everything she had been shown.

She would have to lie again, she knew. There were some things which Luna must be made aware of, and this would help ease her conscience, but Celestia was determined to save her from her fate if there was any way to do so, and if that meant hiding it from Luna then she would happily carry the load a thousand times over.

She took off into the air, flying north past the castle. Magic pulsed on her horn, and a few moments later Luna emerged from the castle, flying up to join her sister. They flew together silently for a few minutes, crossing the vast estate below them, before descending gracefully to the ground, landing among the apple trees.

"I trust the meeting went well," Luna asked.

"Indeed it did, sister."

"And?"

Celestia glanced at Luna out of the corner of her eye. Her sister was listening, deep in thought, as they always were when they conversed. Their minds worked as one, looking at each problem from opposite sides, seamlessly merging into a single consciousness. It took great effort to hide anything from her sister, but she persevered.

"Your suspicions were correct. Something had been calling out to Clarity, showing her visions in an effort to send a message to me. Why me specifically I do not know."

"Perhaps it needed both of us to see the image before it sent the message so that we would fully understand its significance."

"Perhaps."

Luna set off through the trees, and Celestia kept pace beside her.

"And what of the message, sister?"

"It was strange. Incoherent. More a stream of ideas than words. But I think it was a warning."

Luna nodded in understanding, before responding.

"And with the images it chose to show us, it is safe to assume we must not underestimate the severity of what we will face."

"I believe so. But there is hope. If I understood the message correctly, I believe we have the tools within us to overcome this trial."

"The Elements?"

"Yes."

They came to a halt, having reached their destination. They stood at the edge of a shallow dell, its banks clear of the trees which filled the estate, and covered in thick, luscious grass. Once black and lifeless, scarred by hatred and distrust, this place had risen from the darkness and brought forth a new age of love and compassion. In the centre stood a single, ancient apple tree, preserved carefully over the centuries. In front of the tree was statue of three ponies, holding each other in a warm embrace. This was a sacred place, a monument to the power of love and friendship, and the hope it brought to the world even in the darkest of times.

The sisters rested their heads against each other's, Celestia embracing her sister under her wing. She spoke, her voice soft.

"We must not be afraid. If we stand together, we can push through this."

"I will never leave your side, my sister."

"Nor I yours."

They stood together silently for many minutes, watching the world pass by ignorant of its own future. For a moment, Celestia envied it. Eventually, they lifted themselves back into the air, soaring in a circle over the monument before returning to the castle.


	4. Chapter 3 - Discord

**Chapter 3 - Discord**

* * *

_My studies of the Elements of Harmony took many years, but fortunately the centuries which followed the prophecy remained quiet. Dangers came and went, as they always did, but these were all mortal dangers which could be outlasted or fought against. I do not wish to belittle these events, as each life lost during the wars with the dragons and griffons were tragedies, as it is when any pony dies. But this can only serve to emphasise the threat we believed we were preparing for. None of these events would have required the intervention of the Elements, as the ponies are resourceful creatures and were able to adapt to and repel each enemy that threatened them. I could only imagine what sort of force was coming._

_In time, through long periods of meditation, I learned much of the nature of the spirit world, and of Harmony itself. I was able to see the spirits, each with their own unique form and purpose, and the ever-changing bonds which held them together._

_Harmony itself remained out of reach to me, however, its scale and power beyond even my comprehension. At any time I could only understand a part of the whole, knowing the innumerable spirits spread around me to be only a drop in a vast ocean. I could feel its power though, flowing through me, fuelling me. Every smile, every warm embrace, gave it strength, and this in turn gave me confidence. In this feeling I could see my own nature, and understood all the more the drive I had always felt towards peace and cooperation. It was not simply sentiment; there was something much more fundamental to it._

_I did have one more window into Harmony itself: the three Elements which remained bound to me. Seeing their true form among the spirits was awe-inspiring! They rivalled everything in scale, encompassing the entire universe, touching each and every spirit. They were not so much a part of Harmony, but a shell, a protective skin surrounding the universe and keeping it strong._

_And yet, despite this, the Elements remained strangely aloof. Even as I approached them, they remained inert, their bonds to the other spirits ephemeral and with no real substance. They had the potential to spread influence far and wide, but seemed to show no inherent power themselves, as the spirits had said. They were a conduit, as no doubt were the ponies who wielded them before, for a greater power, which could only have arisen from Harmony itself._

_It is a mystery to me why these spirits exist, and I do not doubt that it will remain a mystery for as long as I live. But a few aspects of their nature were revealed to me during my studies. I saw that each had for some reason gained a special bond to a single spirit. Each of these spirits in turn defined a single concept, a single virtue, with the power to forge the spark of friendship necessary for the Elements' awakening._

_I do not know if the Elements have always been bound to these spirits, or if the connection only formed at their awakening. If this is the case, it is unclear if these are the only spirits they could have become bound to. In any case, I was able to identify the three virtues represented by the Elements I had connections to. Roughly, they could be described as Loyalty, Friendship and Generosity, corresponding to Silver Moon, Gunner Beck and Wheat Sheaf respectively. Careful examination of their story was able to corroborate this._

_As for the true number of the Elements, this remained an unknown. Based on the prophecy, I knew there to be at least six. Only after the activation of further elements would I be able to confirm the exact total, however. Unfortunately, this would not occur until after the first time I was forced to use them._

_Princess Celestia_

* * *

The signs were subtle at first, barely noticeable above the natural fluctuations of the world. The weather started to change, gradually becoming harder to control. Animal migrations started to shift. But this went by unnoticed, for the pony race responded to this as had become their custom: they cooperated, adapted, and rebuilt. Each change on its own was insignificant, and the ponies moved quickly with each other's help. Through everything, they survived. They were under a lot of strain, but they persevered and remained strong.

And so the danger was not seen until it was already too late.

The first clear sign came at dawn on an otherwise insignificant winter morning. Or rather, it didn't, as on that morning, the sun refused to rise.

Celestia woke promptly that day, as she always did, in order to watch the sunrise and prepare for the coming day. She walked onto the balcony of her room and looked out to the west. As had always been the case, she was greeted by the sight of the moon, drifting slowly below the horizon at the end of its watch over the land.

But there was something wrong on this occasion. The telltale aura of the sun approaching the horizon in the east was absent, the sky instead remaining a deep blue, the stars clearly visible.

Concerned, Celestia took off from the balcony and glided round to the far side of the castle, landing on an identical platform connecting to her sister's apartment. Luna stood there waiting, her eyes also fixed on the eastern horizon.

"This is unprecedented, sister," Luna said upon seeing her sister land. She sounded concerned, mirroring her sister's own feelings. Celestia walked up to face her.

"The sun and moon have not deviated once from their motions since Everfree," Celestia responded. "Something powerful must be affecting them."

"Do you think this may be what the prophecy warned us of, sister?"

"We should not ignore the possibility. We have the three Elements, and we are as prepared to use them as we can be. What do you suggest?"

Luna considered the sky behind her sister for a moment. It was still dark.

"I suggest we wait," she said. "At least for a short while. Even we do not fully understand the magic of the universe."

Celestia nodded. "We should not assume hostility without further information."

"Agreed. And in the case of hostile forces, we also need to know against what we are working, in order to know how to respond."

Celestia turned towards where the sun should have been, stepping back to stand beside her sister. For many minutes, they watched the sky silently for any sign of what was happening. Eventually, Celestia sighed and looked sideways at her sister.

"In the meantime, whatever is causing this, it is going to have an adverse effect on the kingdom. We must begin preparations to help our little ponies cope with the—"

At that moment, the eastern sky grew light, and within seconds the sun was visible, creeping lazily above the horizon.

"Perhaps we will not have to deal with that yet," Luna commented, chuckling. "And if there is an unknown spirit at work here, I cannot help but wonder if it has a sense of humour."

Celestia smiled and shook her head. She then looked back towards the sun, and stared at it for a long moment, as it rose into the sky as if nothing were amiss. She considered its behaviour, perplexed as to what this meant.

"It would appear so, sister," she said. "But I suggest we travel out into the nation today and meet with the ponies. We should determine if this oddity has been noticed by anypony else. Until we understand what is happening I would rather not have our subjects panicking."

Luna nodded in agreement, and Celestia took off into the sky again, returning to her own chamber to prepare for the day. Her sister did likewise, and within the hour they were both travelling away from the castle towards the nearest settlements.

* * *

The following months passed by without incident. The sun and moon rose and set each day, mocking the princesses with their regularity. They refused to give any sign as to the nature of the incident. Fortunately, the event had passed unnoticed, and the pony race remained oblivious.

It was half a year after the first incident when it happened again. At dusk, Celestia was returning to her quarters after a long day in court. She watched the sun set below the horizon to the west out of the windows of the corridor, but when she arrived in her chamber she found Luna there, waiting for her.

"The moon has decided to delay this evening, sister," she said.

Celestia looked out of the window, seeing the unnaturally dark sky once more. The two of them walked out onto the balcony and stared at the sky in silent contemplation before discussing the matter.

"Perhaps we should attempt to personally summon the moon," Celestia suggested.

"It is a part of me as much as my body is," Luna stated thoughtfully. "I should have some control over its motion. It is worth a try."

Luna closed her eyes, and her horn glowed with magic. She stood motionless for many seconds, then opened her eyes and looked at her sister.

"I can feel its presence. There is no sign of any external influence, however. It is not being slowed or held back. It is as if it is operating naturally, but has just become confused about when it is supposed to rise."

"Can you help it?" Celestia asked.

"I believe so." Luna's horn lit up again, and after a few seconds, the moon crept above the eastern horizon. Luna released her hold on it, and it continued to rise as normal.

"I had to pull it forward by almost a quarter of an hour," Luna said. "It is back on schedule now, however."

"That is good," Celestia responded. "Whatever this is, we are not powerless against it."

"Not yet, at least," Luna responded. "We still have no idea what we are dealing with. Let us rest now, and see what happens in the morning."

"Agreed. I will meet you before sunrise to wait and see if the sun is late again."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Luna took off from the balcony and flew round the castle, returning to her chambers. Celestia walked back into her own room and began to prepare for the night.

She considered this new puzzle carefully. Twice the sun and moon had behaved erratically now. Something powerful was working quietly behind the scenes to some unknown purpose. Even if this was indeed linked to the prophecy, it as yet showed no sign of taking an specific interest in her sister. Did this mean that this event was unrelated to Luna's fall? Perhaps there was yet hope that they could both come out of this unaffected.

The next morning, Celestia rose promptly as usual. She walked out onto the balcony and prepared to fly round towards her sister's room, when she noticed something was already amiss. As usual, the moon was yet to set, sitting just above the horizon. Yet the sky was already light.

This time, the sun had risen early.

* * *

Mid-morning, Celestia arrived at court and was informed that Chancellor Fallowmane and Commander Phoenix had demanded an audience. She asked her aides to show them in as soon as possible and hold all other appointments. Regents demanding audience, especially in groups, was never a good sign.

When the regents arrived at court, Celestia stood up from her throne and walked forward to greet them.

"Chancellor, Commander, to what do I owe this honour?"

Commander Phoenix walked forward, the fire-yellow pegasus mare looking up at Celestia with concern.

"We wish this were an under more pleasant circumstances, but something has happened, and we request counsel."

Celestia looked at them both. They were both clearly distracted, and looked as if they had been up all night.

"I cannot help but notice an absence at this meeting," she stated calmly. "I hope these concerns are not directed towards the unicorn queen."

The chancellor approached now. He shook his head apologetically.

"Don't worry, princess. We have no quarrel with the queen or her tribe at this time, and this affects them as much as it does us. But the commander and I happened to be meeting last night when the flood hit, and it would have taken too long to—"

Celestia cut him off with a wave of her hoof. "A flood?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Shortly after midnight, a heavy storm hit the hills just north of Canterbridge. There was a flash flood, and most of the homes there were ruined."

Celestia glanced out of the window. Canterbridge wasn't far north of Everfree, but she could see that the sky was perfectly clear in that direction. In any case, unexpected flash floods were rare, and the weather pegasi had always managed to at least divert the worst of the rain to other areas. She turned to Commander Phoenix.

"What do you make of this, Commander?"

Phoenix shrugged in confusion. "I was in Canterbridge, meeting with Fallowmane to discuss weather requirements for the coming growing season. The sky was clear at dusk, as was forecast. We didn't realise the storm had arrived until the first lightning strike in the hills. By then the flood was already on its way."

"Were you able to control the storm at all?"

Phoenix shook her head. "We weren't prepared for this. There were storms forecast further south, so most of my weather corps was deployed there. They were at least able to keep those under control," she added.

Celestia nodded, thinking. A storm appearing out of nowhere was unheard of. It was conceivable that the sun behaving erratically could cause shifts in weather patterns, but this was too much. Their causes may be linked, though. Perhaps this was confirmation of Luna's suspicions of hostility. She turned back to Fallowmane.

"How much damage, Chancellor?"

"No injuries or loss of life, I am pleased to report," he replied, but his expression showed anything but pleasure. "Crop damage was minimal as well. After flooding in recent years we built levees around the fields in the area, and these held. But the town's defences were designed for floods from up the valley. This came from the northern slope, and the flood walls were completely bypassed. Property damage will be significant, once the water recedes. It will take time for our ponies to recover from this."

"I do not wish to trivialise your concerns," Celestia said, "but your request for a meeting implied a more present danger than this flood. Is there something else?"

"No, Your Highness," Phoenix responded meekly. "The flooding is not a threat in itself at this point. We only need time to recover. However, this was a complete surprise. We are not prepared to deal with such unexpected events. We wished to keep you informed, and seek any advice you may have. I apologise if our request gave you the wrong impression. It has been a long night for both of us."

"Tensions are running high in general," Fallowmane added. "Our tribes have been under a lot of strain in recent years, and this new development has only made matters worse. We wished to be able to show that you were aware of the problem and aiding us, in order to calm everypony's nerves."

Celestia's mind turned, fitting the pieces of the jigsaw together, but finding most of the puzzle still missing. This showed every sign of a coordinated attack. It hit out of nowhere, and was targeted directly at where their defences were weak. It even struck the leaders of two of the tribes directly.

And yet the damage was superficial. Nopony died, and there was no damage to crops, so the long-term effects on the tribe would be minor. Damage to houses and property could be repaired in time. It was as if this was supposed to be an annoyance rather than an attack.

Celestia recalled the floods of previous years. They had indeed been getting more frequent as the weather became more erratic, but they had always been foreseeable. The gradual changes were stretching the weather ponies to breaking point, though, and sudden unpredictable storms like this could be catastrophic if they hit where nopony was expecting them.

Strangest of all was the precision of the attack. It was not attacking the ponies directly, and even appeared to be actively avoiding them, as there had been no injuries or deaths. Yet each act — the changing weather, the perturbed sun and moon, and the flood, assuming they were indeed linked — served to create confusion and tension. It was as if this force was striking directly at Harmony itself.

"What are we to do?" Phoenix asked expectantly.

Celestia did not know how she could respond to such a threat. It seemed to be inherently unpredictable, so any attempt at a well-planned response was doomed to fail. All they could do was try and keep ahead of the damage.

"We need to minimise the risk of further rogue storms," she said at last. "I suggest that all major centres of population maintain at least a minimal emergency response team of pegasi in case of storms."

"We're stretched thin as it is, Your Highness," Phoenix protested.

"I am aware of this," responded Celestia. "You may have to recruit civilians as well. At the very least there must be somepony ready to act if a storm comes."

"Yes, Princess."

Celestia turned to the Chancellor. "Fallowmane, I cannot provide definitive advice on ground protection. Any defences will leave some angle vulnerable. I would suggest that all known weaknesses should be examined and improved if possible, to ensure that the potential threats are, if not stopped, at least known of in advance."

"Yes, Your Highness," he responded, bowing. "We could also talk to the unicorns. They have helped to magically reinforce defences in the past," he added.

"Very wise, Chancellor," the princess responded. She looked them both in the eye, giving a reassuring smile. "Now I have done what I can at this stage. I will discuss the matter with my sister and monitor the situation carefully. I will contact you immediately if I can help further."

"Thank you, Princess," Phoenix said, bowing. The two left immediately, in quiet discussion with each other.

* * *

The rest of the day was, fortunately, uneventful, only the usual matters of court to be considered. As dusk drew nearer, the princesses kept a watchful eye on the sky. The sun was early to set this time, but Celestia was able to delay it an extra few minutes to maintain the schedule.

The next few weeks passed slowly. Each morning and evening, at least one of the sun or moon appeared off schedule. Each day, news of some strange event arrived in the court. The unicorn queen wrote to say that a freak lightning bolt had completely gutted her wine cellar. Another day, a road had been damaged by a herd of cows digging up the ground. Another day, a sudden landslide buried a town's gymnasium during the night. Each time there was no loss of life, and the disruption was an inconvenience at most. Ponies started to notice the pattern, and the nation became confused and exhausted.

Luna and Celestia met regularly to discuss the events, and to try to determine their significance. One such evening, they were in Celestia's quarters, having just had to push the sluggish sun and moon forward a few minutes. They paced as they discussed the events once more, trying to see anything new.

"You feel it too, sister?" Luna asked.

"Yes," Celestia replied. "The nation is tired. Harmony is weakening, and it is taking its toll on me. I hope we can identify this spirit soon."

Luna nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. "I once mused that it may have a sense of humour. If it does, it is a very cruel one."

Celestia nodded. "No loss of life. No injuries. It seems to be actively avoiding hurting ponies, yet has nothing against causing damage and disruption."

"Perhaps it is playing with its food. Getting the most it can out of us before it destroys us."

Celestia shook her head. She had, of course, also considered this possibility. "This does not make sense. All threats we have seen before, whether mortal or otherwise, either actively attacked ponies or treated them merely as an inconvenience to be brushed over. As much as I hate to say it, this apparent carefulness does not seem right."

"True." Luna looked up at the ceiling, recalling past events. "The dragons have sometimes chosen to spare settlements they attack, but only to wait until they reveal the location of their treasure stores. This threat has yet to reveal a higher motive, however."

"If it has one." Celestia shook her head again, starting to grow tired of chasing this problem in circles. "I am beginning to lose hope that logical reasoning is going to prevail here."

Luna sighed. "We may have to consider that this spirit, whatever it is, truly does not make sense."

"_Finally_, we're getting somewhere!"

The princesses froze. They glanced at each other, confirming that they had both heard the voice. Celestia looked around; there was nopony else in the room.

"Sister..." Luna shifted uneasily.

"Identify yourself," Celestia demanded to the air.

"Why must you be so formal, Princess?" The voice responded, its tone deep and condescending. "Relax, or you'll hurt something."

"We don't hold conversations with anypony we don't know the name of," Luna stated. "Identify yourself."

"Ugh, _fine_. I don't know _why_ it matters so much though. You've already seen what I am, a name almost seems... redundant." The voice paused, apparently considering the matter. Luna and Celestia circled the room in silence, waiting.

"I've never got to talk to anypony before," the voice said eventually, "so I've never really needed a name. I think a description will suffice, however. You can call me _Discord_."

"Why?" Celestia asked.

"You'll have to be a bit more specific, Princess." The voice was filling the room, reverberating through the walls and setting Celestia's teeth on edge.

"Why are you here?" Luna asked. "Why are you doing this? What does it gain you?"

"I'm disappointed, Princesses. You're both so clever I'd have thought you'd have figured it out by now!" Discord chuckled menacingly, the sound bouncing round the room. "Why, I'm doing this because it's _fun_! Trust you two to go and spoil it by being so _slow_ to work it out."

"That's it?" Celestia demanded, growing impatient. "You're playing with the world, destroying its patterns and cycles just because it's _fun_? Tormenting ponies for no reason? You could be putting your power to better use than this!"

Discord started to sound impatient as well. "Now, now. Flattery will get you nowhere. And you can relax, I've not harmed any of your precious little ponies. After all, what use is a dead spirit to me?"

Luna shook her head. "You protect Harmony with one hand, but pull the world apart with the other. To have this much power, you must be a fundamental spirit of Harmony like us. This should hurt you as well. So we ask again: why are you doing this?"

The voice groaned in exasperation, the entire room shaking. "So near, yet so far, my dear Luna. I'm here to have fun, not lecture you. So how about this; if you two are as smart as everypony says you are, why don't you figure this one out for yourself. It's not that difficult, I've given you so many clues now."

Discord was clearly not going to make this easy on them. The two sisters stopped pacing, and turned to look into each other's eyes. They locked onto each other's thoughts, and as one they considered the problem.

"You are a spirit..." Celestia began.

"...yet you claim not to be of Harmony," Luna continued.

"Your manner would seem to agree with this, yet it is a contradiction."

"Harmony is by definition the sum total of all spirits, so all spirits are a part of Harmony."

"In the absence of Harmony, there is nothing. Only..."

Celestia trailed off. The two sisters continued to stare at each other eyes in silence. A thousand thoughts played across their eyes, the implications unfolding in their minds.

Discord remained silent at first, but Celestia could feel him watching them, a smug smile stretched across his nonexistent face. As they continued to stand there, it urged them forward.

"Please, continue. You're nearly there."

Celestia located the next piece in the puzzle, and slotted it into place. "You keep ponies alive, preserving their spirits."

"This keeps the form of Harmony strong," Luna continued, "but that is not your main concern."

"Harmony is held together by the bonds between these spirits. The more spirits, the more bonds are possible."

"But you attack these bonds, weakening them, driving them towards chaos."

"Gaps begin to form. Harmony becomes unstable and chaos grows."

"This causes other bonds to weaken, and it spreads throughout Harmony."

The two sisters lowered their heads, releasing their grip on each other. Luna began to draw long, deep breaths.

"I never would have thought it possible," she said.

"Harmony is alive," Celestia stated. "We have always known this. Maybe these gaps in Harmony are capable of drawing from this effect, producing some form of... living Chaos."

Discord's voice returned again, a manic laughter flooding the room.

"At last! Oh, I thought I was going to have to spoon feed you two! Well, I'm glad we're all properly acquainted now! Perhaps we should all have tea some time?"

Discord laughed again, but out of the corner of her eye, Celestia noticed the glint of a thought cross her sister's eyes. It was gone in an instant, but Celestia had a suspicion of what it was, and she left Luna to speak.

"I grow tired of your games!" Luna shouted at the top of her lungs, drowning even Discord's voice out. He stopped laughing, then retorted, acting hurt.

"Games, Luna? Moi? I do not play _games_, my dear. Games have rules!"

"I do not care what you call it," Luna responded immediately. "I am sick of talking to a wall! If you insist on holding these _insufferable_ conversations with us, at least show us the common decency of appearing to us in person!"

"_In person?_" Discord's voice wretched. "In one of your cutesy little pony bodies? Don't make me sick."

"If you're going to be like that, then you don't have to be a pony," Luna stated flatly, only the slightest hint of bitterness in her voice. "But you said yourself that you want to have fun. Why not at least try it?"

Celestia dragged her hoof on the ground impatiently, playing along, but inside she smiled. Luna was goading Discord, manipulating him. Not belonging to Harmony, he was out of their reach, but he still had a mind. He still had needs, and these could be exploited.

Discord roared with glee. "Oh, Luna, I'm really warming to you! You know how to have fun! Much more exciting than your stick-in-the-mud sister."

"Don't try me," Celestia retorted, snorting for effect.

"Very well," Discord continued, ignoring her. "If you _insist_, I will have a go. But only so I can look into your beautiful eyes, dear Luna."

Luna rolled her eyes, but they both jumped when Discord suddenly shouted again.

"_Oh_! I've got it! You two are going to _love_ this! Behold!"

There was a bright flash, and _something_ stood before them. It seemed to contain a part of every animal in Equestria, haphazardly stuck together to form something which resembled a single creature. It was a mockery of life. Celestia didn't dare imagine how it could remain alive, and sincerely hoped that Discord had not stolen these limbs from real animals.

For some reason, it was holding an umbrella.

"Oh, this feels _wonderful_!" Discord said, shaking his new body in excitement. He stretched his limbs to their limits, and then continued anyway. "I admit it's a little confining, but it has so many _possibilities_!"

In a flash, he disappeared, then spoke again, suddenly right by Celestia's ear.

"I can see why you two chose to live down here! I can't wait to properly give my new body a spin!" Throwing his arms out, he spun them round in a full circle, then snaked across the room to look Luna in the eyes.

"And I have you to thank for this wonderful idea, Luna," he said, stroking her chin with a finger. "I'm sure we're going to get along like a house on fire."

Celestia couldn't take it any longer, and watching him talking to her sister like that, seeing the revulsion in her face, was the final straw. "Enough!" she shouted. She flared her wings out to their full width and stood tall in front of the creature. "We'll tolerate your presence to an extent, but there are limits! We cannot allow you to continue in your destructive ways!"

"Ugh, don't be such a sourpuss, Celestia." Discord wrapped his arms around the two of them, and led them out onto the balcony. "Come on, there's something I want to show you."

They stepped outside, the princesses doing so reluctantly, and the three of them looked out into the clear star-filled sky. It was a quiet evening, and Celestia couldn't see anything of particular significance.

Discord took a step back, opening his umbrella.

It started to rain.

Growing exasperated, Celestia looked up and saw a single small cloud hovering just above the tower. Behind them, Discord laughed again.

"You see, Princess? This is fun, isn't it?" He danced happily around the two of them, before throwing his arms around their necks again. "Come on, Celestia. You need to turn that frown of yours upside down. Say what you will about Chaos, but it's a lot more exciting than your dull old Harmony."

Celestia stared resolutely into the distance, refusing to acknowledge Discord. Eventually, he gave up, stomping back into her bedroom.

"Ugh, fine. Have it your way." With a click of his fingers, the rain stopped. "I was getting bored of rain, actually. The pegasi can have that back. In fact, since they've been having so many problems with the weather, perhaps I can help them out a bit there!"

Luna and Celestia exchanged glances, then turned to walk back inside, their sodden manes dripping on the carpet.

"Oh, how rude of me!" Discord snapped his fingers again, and a burst of warm air pushed the two backwards. When it ceased, their manes and coats were dry, but their hair stood on end and their manes stuck out messily behind them.

"Much better," Discord snickered. "You two are such dolls!"

"Leave," Celestia stated simply, summoning all the dignity she could manage.

"Oh, I'm going," Discord responded, bored. "I was getting tired of this place anyway."

"And will you cease your destruction?" Luna demanded.

"If it is what you wish," Discord said, bowing low. "Now if you two aren't going to play, I'll go and find somepony who will! Oh, and since you two are so fond of your precious cycles, I suppose I can stop playing with the sun and moon for a while. I'll let you control them, as you've gotten so good at it recently." He turned and skipped out onto the balcony, before turning back to face them. "Now, I must go. There is some wonderful chaos out there with my name on it! Toodle pip!"

There was another flash, and Discord was gone.

* * *

"He has left," Luna stated.

"Indeed," Celestia replied. "I cannot feel his presence any longer."

The two stood in Celestia's room, carefully using their magic to untangle their manes. Celestia extracted her tiara from her hair with difficulty and carried it over to her dresser, using a cloth to wipe away the last of the rainwater.

"Letting him run free feels wrong, sister," Luna said.

"We have no choice at this stage," Celestia responded. "As a spirit of Chaos, he is beyond the direct influence of the Elements."

"He has a weakness now, however," Luna stated as she brushed her fur back into place.

"Indeed." Celestia turned and looked back at her sister. She had realised it as Luna was working. Now that Discord had bound himself to a physical body, he had brought himself within the reach of Harmony. He had to if he wished to reside directly in the world as he was now. It wasn't much, but it was something for them to work with.

"You did well, my sister," Celestia said, embracing Luna. "But we must be careful in future. He is by his very nature dangerous, and we cannot allow him to get too close to us. You risked a lot in confronting him like that."

Luna lowered her head. "I know. But it needed to be done. Now we must prepare. This is not going to be simple."

Celestia nodded. In her studies of the Elements, she had managed to determine some ways in which they could be wielded. With only a physical body to work with, they had one option which would render Discord impotent, but the side-effects would be dire.

"We will begin in the morning, as soon as the ponies wake," she said. "You should check on the moon first, to see what Discord meant."

"Indeed," Luna said, heading to the balcony to return to her own room. "Until the morning, sister."

* * *

Surprisingly, Discord kept true to his word, but unsurprisingly, he did not make it simple.

Over the following weeks, the sun and moon continued to travel across the sky obediently, but they seemed to lose the ability to rise by themselves. While on the far side of the world, they would falter and stall, and the princesses were forced to give them a boost every morning and evening in order to keep them on track. Whatever Discord had done to them, his magic was beyond that of the princesses, and they could see no way of repairing the damage.

Likewise, Discord had done as he said and stopped the weather problems. It no longer behaved chaotically, throwing out no more unannounced storms or droughts. Instead, it ceased to do anything, and the clouds refused to form, move, or rain without the pegasi intervening. More and more pegasi had to be drafted into the weather corps just to keep the ground healthy and the crops growing. It was impossible to tell for certain over such a short space of time, but Celestia also suspected that the seasons had stalled. It was not cooling as fast as she would have expected for the time of year.

He had even ceased his destruction, but that was hardly a blessing. Perhaps it was his new body, providing him with a different perspective on the world, but Discord seemed to have become more random than ever. His effects were no longer simply improbable, but downright impossible. Ponies would sometimes wake to find their house in a completely different part of town. Clouds rained everything from orange juice to tomato sauce. At least one school of fish was seen swimming through the sky. As the strange sightings continued, the ponies' exhaustion and confusion increased, and the nation grew more and more unsteady. The princesses could feel the drain in their own spirits, and knew they had to deal with this threat as soon as they could.

On occasion, the princesses would see Discord himself, excitedly trying to persuade them to join in with something or other, but they ignored his advances, not letting him gain any sway over them. Over time he seemed to lose interest, appearing to them less and less often.

The two of them spent all of their time away from the castle, travelling far and wide to all the settlements dotted around the nation. First and foremost, they needed to provide support and reassurance to their troubled subjects. But their power against Discord was woefully limited, and they could do nothing to control his actions.

However, they had a second purpose in their travels. It was not just them who needed to prepare for the coming battle. The entire nation needed to be ready for what was to come after. Even if everything went perfectly according to plan, the ponies were going to find themselves isolated for many years, in a world which was now entirely dependent on them. With enough preparation, they would hopefully be able to survive, but it had to be better than the alternative.

Travelling first to the great unicorn universities, they taught the mages there the arts they had learned, showing them how the sun and moon could be raised and lowered using magic. They charged the unicorns with the task of ensuring that those arts would not be lost should anything happen to them, and instructed them to continue the cycle of day and night for as long as they could.

Meeting with leaders and representatives from all the tribes, they warned of the role they would have to play in maintaining the world in the future. The pegasi would have to assume full responsibility for the weather, creating clouds and distributing them across the land. The earth ponies would take responsibility for watching over the plants and trees, ensuring they kept to their yearly patterns of hibernation and regrowth. All three tribes would have to work together in order to ensure the passage of the seasons, bringing change in the earth, sky and heavens all at once.

There was much apprehension from all groups, who were concerned about the responsibility that was being placed on them. But most of all, the ponies began to sense the hidden message behind these teachings. They began to realise that the princesses were planning to leave them. Luna and Celestia did everything they could to comfort their subjects, reassuring them that they would never be alone as long as they had each other, and that as long as the ponies remained strong, the two of them would never truly be gone.

Finally, and most painfully of all, they gave the most important instruction to their nation. Everypony was to prepare to leave Equestria. They would pack only what they needed, taking tools, food, seeds to plant, and anything else that would be vital to the rebuilding of a nation. They informed the ponies of a pass through the mountains in the south-east, which would provide them with relatively safe passage through the range to the other side. Many ponies objected to leaving their homes behind, but the princesses warned them that Equestria had become unsafe, and that if they were to recover and rebuild, then it would not be able to happen here. Eventually, all ponies accepted the command, and the long preparations began.

* * *

When the nation was at last ready, the princesses returned to the castle, preparing to begin the next phase of their plan. They convened once more in Celestia's bedroom, at the site of their first confrontation with Discord. Upon entering the chamber, they found a small table in the centre of the room, a single rose and a box of chocolates placed on top.

Celestia's eyes narrowed. "Discord."

The creature appeared in the room, wearing a tuxedo, and acting hurt.

"Too much, Princess?" He danced across the room and threw an arm around Celestia's neck, drawing her head close to his. "You've been so distant over the last few weeks, I've started to think that you're avoiding me!"

Celestia stood, unmoving, her teeth gritted as she held her rage back.

"Nothing?" he continued, stroking her chin. "Come on, I only want to see you smile. Forget what I said before, you're my favourite pony now, and it pains me to see you acting so dour. I only want to show you how exciting the universe is! Please," he pulled himself even closer to her, "smile for me at least once, mon amour."

Celestia said nothing. A shiver ran down her spine, the fur pricking up on her back.

Discord drew away, keeping his arm around her neck. "No? Mon ami, at least?" Seeing Celestia's unchanging snarl, he appeared to relent. The table disappeared with its contents, as did the suit. "You're a tough egg to crack, Princess."

In a flash, he was next to Luna, circling round her.

"Now I must apologise to you, my dear," he sang. "I was so distracted, I completely forgot about you. _You're_ my real favourite pony, giving me the gift of this wonderful body! Can you ever forgive me?" he asked, looking pleadingly into her eyes.

Taking the opportunity while Discord was ignoring her, Celestia made her way further into the room. She hated entertaining Discord like this, but if this was to work they would need to let him think he had some control over them.

"We have not come here to play with you, Discord," Celestia said, not bothering to turn and face him. "Not this time."

In an instant, Discord's attention had shifted, and he once more appeared before Celestia, looking her in the eyes.

"Oh, you say the most wonderful things! Forceful, but so full of promise!" He clapped his hands together gleefully. "But what could I, a humble demon, possibly deserve to receive from you? I almost feel bad about taking your chocolates now!"

Celestia shook her head. "We do not come here to give you something, but to offer an exchange."

An armchair appeared behind Discord, and he collapsed into it, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. Go on, then. Convince me."

"You have clearly taken an interest in the two of us," Luna said from behind him. "Tell us why."

Discord rolled his eyes and spun the chair to face Luna. "You two with your questions. I'm beginning to doubt your intelligence again, and we can't have that. But since it's _you_ asking..." He steepled his fingers together and looked her in the eye. When he spoke, his voice sounded serious and sincere for the first time since they had met.

"You two fascinate me. You are the most powerful spirits this world has to offer, besides myself of course." He chuckled. "You're like kindred spirits to me, but you insist on being so boring, doing everything you can to spoil my fun. You're missing out on so much, and I just want to show you how much fun Chaos really can be. I want to help you live. What do you say?"

Celestia circled round the chair and stood next to her sister, looking down at Discord.

"That is why you are here?" Celestia asked. "You just want us?"

"I wouldn't go that far," Discord replied. "The rest of the world is quite fun as well. But you two are my favourite parts! What I wouldn't give to have you two to myself for a while!"

"Very well," Luna said.

Discord blinked. Turning his head to the side, he looked back at Luna. "My dear?"

"In exchange," Celestia interjected forcefully, "we ask you to leave the rest of our ponies alone. Let them leave Equestria, and do not follow them. You will have this land, and us, to yourself."

Raising an eyebrow, Discord stood, dismissed the chair, and walked out onto the balcony. He stood there, looking out over Equestria, then jumped into the air, laughing with joy.

"You honour me, both of you! Giving me an entire kingdom of my own? Just look at it!" Reaching his arms back into the room, he dragged both of them onto the balcony next to him. "So much space, so much _possibility_! We're going to have so much fun together! Send your little ponies away, then," he added as he walked back inside, waving an arm over his shoulder dismissively. "How about we meet back here when you're ready, and then we can begin!"

With a click of his fingers he was gone, and the princesses lay down, exhausted. That had happened exactly as it needed to, but even talking with Discord was trying. They had carefully considered every response he may try to make, including the most unlikely, and they had managed to get him to agree to their terms with ease. His ego was too strong to be able to resist the offer of the whole kingdom, and themselves.

Now they had everything they needed. The ponies could leave without Discord causing a problem, and it would be safe to begin.

* * *

At dawn the next day, the sisters left the castle once more. They were joined by scores of messenger pegasi, who spread off to all corners of the land, carrying the princesses' command. Before long the entire nation was on the move, every single pony making their way east towards the mountains. Those who lived near the mountains arrived first, and blazed the trail between the peaks, searching out the distant land they had been promised.

The princesses didn't dare follow them through the pass, remaining within Equestria's borders at all times to show they would keep their side of the bargain. They regularly received reports from the pegasi who patrolled the route, however, and were relieved to hear of the first groups reaching the far side safely.

Once a path was established, the sisters split up and travelled far and wide across the land, searching for any stragglers. They found the towns and cities deserted, even in the far north. Everypony had heeded their warnings and left. Signs of life still remained, however, houses and shops still stocked with all that they couldn't afford to take with them. Celestia found herself walking familiar streets, in towns she had helped build and grow, but they were now alien and unwelcoming. They felt cold and dead without ponies filling them.

She could feel the change in Harmony as well. The ponies were scared and unsure. Their pain flowed through her, and she longed to reach out to them, to tell them that everything would be okay. But she couldn't even tell herself that.

Reaching the end of another empty road, she found herself facing a hall. By its door, the flag of Equestria hung proudly, the image of the two alicorns encircling the sky, watching over their subjects. As she looked at it, a tear came to her eye.

She had failed them. They were alive, but why did that matter? Their old lives were gone forever. She had one final task now, the only remaining thing she could do to protect them, but then she would be gone. Her subjects, who had trusted so much in her, would be alone, defenceless against the world.

And she had not forced them to leave. She had just asked them. The authority and trust the ponies had given her willingly for their own protection had been used to take that safety away from them. Celestia felt like she had betrayed her subjects. Wars always brought casualties, but if you couldn't keep your trust in your own allies to keep you safe, then you had nothing.

Hating herself for harbouring such a selfish thought, she remembered that she still had one thing left. Her sister still stood with her. She tore the flag from its pole and held it close to her heart, clinging to the dream that the spirits could be mistaken. They were so close to the end now, but she still had some family left. They would face this final task together as one. They would win. They would defeat discord, and they would give to the world one final gift.

Hope.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, and forcing resolve back onto her face, she leapt into the sky. Her wings were weary, but she pushed herself south, preparing for the final confrontation.

* * *

She arrived in Canterbridge hours later. Luna was already there, waiting, looking over the damage which still remained from the first flood. It had only been a couple of months, but it felt like they had been fighting this for an eternity.

Luna turned to face her as she landed. "You look weak, sister."

"As do you," Celestia responded. "Any word?"

"A messenger came not two hours ago. The last ponies had entered the pass and were on their way. He will have joined them by now."

"That is good to hear." Celestia looked carefully into her sister's eyes. "You have concerns?"

"If I may play dragon's advocate for a moment," Luna responded. "You alone are connected to the Elements. I could leave with them. Provide the ponies with a guardian as they rebuild."

"A noble desire," Celestia responded, nodding weakly. "I would want nothing more than to be able to leave with them and continue to guide them. But the Elements cannot, and should not, be wielded alone. This I know with certainty." Celestia remembered the words that had been spoken to her all those centuries ago. "We must stand against this together. Only then can we hold Chaos back."

Luna nodded. "I know this also, my sister. But my conscience would not forgive me if I did not voice the thought."

Celestia forced herself to smile. "We can do this. I am glad to have you by my side, and hope that we are never parted."

They crossed the main street in silence, and started to climb the southern slope of the valley. When they reached the top, they could see their final destination. Everfree Castle stood proudly on the horizon, silhouetted against the sky. Discord had promised to meet them there, and they would ensure that he did.

As if prompted by Celestia's thoughts, a puddle of water lying at her feet stirred. Discord's face appeared in the reflection, grinning gleefully at the two princesses.

"Are they gone yet?" he said, sounding like a foal who had been left alone with his toys for the first time. "Do I have you to all to myself at last?"

"Yes, it is done," Celestia said. "We have kept our end of the bargain."

"As I will mine," replied Discord. The princesses trudged wearily across the grass towards the castle, and the puddle followed beside them, flowing across the ground. "I'm waiting right here in your lovely castle, just itching to see you again! I've got so many plans for you! So much to do, so much to show you!"

"Please," Luna said. "Let us walk in peace. We will be there in time, and then you can talk all you want."

"As you wish, dear," Discord said, chuckling. "And when you get here, you can finally show me these Elements of yours!"

Celestia's heart sank. She stopped dead and stared into Discord's eyes, the tears starting to return to hers. "You knew."

"Well of course I knew, Celestia! I'm Discord, spirit of Chaos, and as much as you hate to admit it, Chaos is _everywhere_."

Celestia's voice was shaking. "But, you let us send everypony away! Why would you let us—"

Discord laughed. It drilled into her mind, the malice in his voice clawing at her thoughts.

"Of course I let you!" he shouted in glee. "That was the best part! And I didn't even have to think of it! Surely you know why I let you. You can feel it!"

Luna hung her head. "We played right into his hands."

"That was the greatest gift you could possibly give me," Discord continued, sneering at their pain. "There hasn't been this much distress in centuries! I can see it in your eyes, Harmony is weakened, and there's nothing you can do to save it! You, the only ponies who ever had a chance against me, have lost hope, and it's magnificent!"

Celestia twisted her hoof, digging into the ground in fury. She had let him play them, let him gain the upper hand. She looked into his eyes, and she saw the monster. That infernal creature that had haunted her thoughts ever since the prophecy had shown it through Luna. She felt again that pure, unbridled hatred burn inside her, shocked by its intensity. This _creature_ was a travesty, an abomination, a hideous, twisted reflection of everything pure and good in the world. It had to be stopped at all costs.

Throwing her wings open, she reared up into the air, roaring at the skies, and crashed her hooves down in Discord's face. Fire burned deep in her eyes. She panted uncontrollably, as the puddle slowly and inevitably reformed around her hooves.

"I am disappointed, Princess," Discord's voice said again, his tone infuriatingly calm. "I had so much hope for you, but you've changed! Why can't you just be happy for me? I've got everything I wanted: my own kingdom, two beautiful princesses to play with, and all the time in the world to do so! And I owe this all to you two. Thanks to you, I've never felt so strong! I feel like I could do anything! And I intend to!"

Rage filled Celestia. "This is not over, Discord."

"I would be disappointed if it was," he replied. "Go on, then. Run, fly, do what you will. But you'll never get here in time. My power is growing by the minute, and by the time you get here I'll have won. I'll strip you of your precious elements, I'll break you both, and then you'll both see what Chaos _really_ is." He turned to look at Luna. "I lied to you, Luna. I do play games. _Checkmate._"

Discord disappeared, the puddle bursting and splashing water over them. Celestia barely noticed it. The terrible grin on his face was still burned into Celestia's mind. Luna stood next to Celestia, equally shaken by what she had heard. She turned to her sister, and, determination in her voice, said "We must hurry."

The two sisters turned to face the castle once more. Summoning all the strength they had left, they galloped across the grass, then spread their wings and soared into the sky.

* * *

They flew on silently for what seemed like an eternity. The castle was clearer now in the distance, and Celestia could already see that Everfree was changing, being warped by Discord's magic. The orchard which surrounded the castle had become overgrown by strange, hostile trees. The land was twisting in on itself, great chasms and ridges crisscrossing the forest. The castle itself was being torn apart, its towers straining to hold themselves up.

Celestia was aghast. How long would it be before this spread to all of Equestria? And then it would continue, destroying the entire world. Discord truly had won. They couldn't hope to get there in time.

They were still ten minutes off, when they passed an imperceptible barrier surrounding the castle. Suddenly the air felt heavy and fragmented. Their wings could no longer find purchase, and the princesses fell helplessly out of the sky. They landed at the top of a hill, rolling down the grass on the far side, crashing through bushes and plants. Eventually they came to a halt, but stood up immediately, shrugging off their injuries, and galloped through the fields towards the treeline which loomed in the distance.

They were running across farmland now. They vaulted hedges, and trampled the crops which stood in their way, absolutely determined to reach their destination.

The world was filled with sadistic magic, and it tore at Celestia's spirit, laughing at her, daring her to turn back and give up hope. She shut it out, forcing her thoughts onto a singular purpose and pushing forward. The thick air tore at her fur, resisting her every stride, but she forced herself through it.

Beside her, Luna closed her eyes in concentration. "Something is happening, sister. I can feel him fighting us."

Suddenly, Celestia felt it as well. In a final insult, Discord had reached out and taken control of the sun. His spirit was there only for a moment, as he gave it a mighty push and forced it below the horizon. An instant later, the moon rose in its place, and was held fast in the sky above them.

Luna seethed. "He dares mock us. After all this, all he's done to us, he continues to force his influence into—"

Her breath caught mid-sentence and she fell silent, an idea forming in her mind. Celestia saw it also, her stomach churning at the thought.

"I know what to do," Luna said, closing her eyes. "Goodbye, my sister."

Still running at Celestia's side, she reached her spirit out to the moon, which remained a part of her. Through the connection, she could see Discord's mind, grasping triumphantly to the great sphere. In retaliation, she latched onto him, connecting to him. She found his body, and immediately knew exactly where he was.

Luna spread her wings, pulling herself to a halt, and, in a flash, was gone.

* * *

_It's happening._

The thought spread through Celestia's mind, drowning everything else out. Her world was already turning inside out, and yet in an instant it had been torn again. Luna had left, sacrificing herself willingly in the hope of buying Celestia some time. And now she was alone, vulnerable, at the hands of that monster.

She kept running, not slowing down even for an instant, pushing herself to reach the castle before anything could be done to hurt her sister. The forest was in front of her now, the sight of the trees painfully familiar.

Suddenly, the forces pushing her back relented. Whatever Luna was doing seemed to have worked, and Discord was no longer able to resist her advance. Roaring in agony, she spread her aching wings and pulled herself into the sky, forcing herself onward.

* * *

The minutes crawled by. Celestia could still feel Discord's magic in the air, his influence persistent and growing again. She had very little time left.

As she drew closer to the central tower, the only one still unaffected by the forces tearing the castle apart, she saw the reassuring glow of Luna's magic through the windows of the throne room. He could have been chosen any location, and probably didn't even need to _be_ anywhere, but his constant mockery never ceased. He chose _their_ throne room, the most revered place in the entire kingdom after the Everfree Tree itself, the place from which they had ruled for centuries, as the place from which he would tear their world apart. Celestia gritted her teeth, feeling more ready than ever to face him.

She dropped into a steep dive, speeding the final few furlongs towards the castle. No longer having the energy to slow herself down, she crashed through one of the great stained-glass windows, shards of glass spreading across the marble floor. Her legs shaking, she picked herself up off the ground and surveyed the room.

Celestia's heart nearly stopped when she saw them. In the centre of the room, Discord stood, holding Luna aloft triumphantly by the neck. His head was thrown back in a malicious laugh as he savoured his final victory. He was so caught up in the moment that he didn't even acknowledge Celestia's entrance.

But even though he believed he had won, Luna still fought. Celestia could see her horn glowing, and her eyes burned with magic. Their minds were locked together, battling against each other for control, but Discord was too strong, and Celestia could see her sister weakening.

She stood transfixed for a moment, fear that she had failed almost consuming her. Then her sister turned to face her. They looked into each other's eyes, and Luna spoke, her voice soft.

"Sister... please..."

Love for her sister welled up inside Celestia. She latched onto it immediately, letting it fuel her. With all the strength of her will, she poured its power into the Elements of Harmony.

* * *

The world seemed to melt away. The Elements began shifting, latching onto the world and shifting the spirits with unknowable power. Celestia fought against the current and forced the power to where it was needed most.

Magical energy radiated out from Celestia, her eyes burning white as the sun. The magic engulfed the castle, and spread far out across the surrounding land. It latched onto the three creatures standing in the throne room, the ponies now thankfully beyond its influence. Celestia did not have the control to distinguish between the three, their spirits merging into one in the vast sea before her.

Unable to reach Discord's spirit directly, she directed the power in the only other way she could find. Focussing the three physical bodies in the room, she concentrated and cast a single spell. It was weak and simple, but the Elements pushed it past Discord's defences as if they weren't there, the magic worming its way into his body. In an instant, which seemed to drag out to an eternity within the Elements' influence, his body was sealed away, his form turned completely into stone. His spirit, still attached to his body, was locked away also, unable to move or act while the magic bound him.

But she still could not control the magic. Celestia felt the spell clawing away at her own body, and knew she had mere moments to finish the plan. Shifting her focus away from the Elements, she withdrew her spirit from her body, and retreated to her ancient, natural home. As her spirit left, she felt her body, her home for so many ages, ebb away and vanish into the sea of spirits, her presence no longer there to sustain it.

* * *

_And then there was silence._

_She was the sun once more. From high above, she watched as the earth turned below her. It was safe again; Discord's influence had been trapped away in his stone prison, the magical safeguards she had put in place ensuring that he would not be able to free himself._

_She could feel her sister's spirit there also, resting on the far side of the world, safe again in her heavenly home._

_Time began to pass. Days and months blurred into one another as the world shifted and changed below them. They could feel the ponies below, rebuilding their broken nation in a new land, and wished peace and happiness on them all._

_But their ancient forms were damaged, broken. The effect of Discord's magic still lingered. Each day they felt the touch of the unicorns' magic, guiding them through the sky, and were grateful for this connection to their subjects._

_They longed to return to the world again, to take up their place among the ponies once more, but in their damaged state they could not take the strain of the magic required to release them once more._

_And so they watched from the sky, hoping that the universe could heal itself in time. Celestia knew inside that this could not be the end of their story. There was so much left to be done._

_But that would have to wait._


End file.
